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of  the  Retrenchment  Association 
In  this  issue:  YWMIA  Centennial, 
featuring  women  and  the  Church 


The 

Improvement 


May  1969 


BYU  comes  to  you 

...with  adventures  in  learning! 


Right  in  your  own  stake,  BYU  faculty  members  are 
your  tour  guides  for  adventures  in  religion,  music,  art, 
speech,  drama,  family  and  human  relations. 

Moving  the  mountain  of  knowledge  has  become  almost 


This  year  BYU  EDUCATION  WEEKS 
will  be  held  in  52  locations  tor  288  stakes 
in  the  United  States,  Canada  and  Mexico. 


habit  for  Brigham  Young  University, 
EDUCATION  WEEKS  have  been  bri 
learning  to  Latter-day  Saints.  Isn' 
adventure  in  learning? 

Education  Week  Is  Coming  to  Your  Community 


Since  1922,  BYU 
nging  the  world  of 
t   it  time   for  your 


EASTERN 

Washington,  D.C.,  June  5,  6,  7 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  June  9,10,  11 
Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  June  13,  14 
Boston,  Mass.,  June  16,  17 

SOUTHERN 

Gaffney,  S.C.,  June  19,  20,  21 
Atlanta,  Ga„  June  23,  24,  25 
Huntsville,  Ala.,  June  27,  28 

EASTERN  WASHINGTON 

Richland,  June  9,  10, 11 
Moses  Lake,  June  12,  13, 14 
Spokane,  June  16,  17,  18 

WESTERN  CANADIAN 

Lethbridge,  June  7,  9,  10 
Edmonton,  June  12,  13,  14 
Calgary,  June  16,  17,  18 

NEVADA-ARIZONA 

Las  Vegas,  June  7,  9,  10 
Scottsdale,  June  12,  13,  14 
Mesa,  June  16, 17, 18 
Phoenix,  June  19,  20,  21 


PACIFIC  NORTHWEST 

Cascade,  Wash.  - 

Vancouver,  B.C.,  July  7,  8 
Seattle,  Wash.,  July  10.  11,  12 
Tacoma,  Wash.,  July  14,  15,  16 

SINGLE  PROGRAMS 

BYU  Campus,  June  10, 11,  12,  13 
Ogden,  June  10,  11,  12 
Salt  Lake,  Aug.  14,  15,  16 
Logan,  Sept.  2,  3,  4 
Denver,  Aug.  21,  22,  23 
Albuquerque,  Aug.  22,23 
Colonia  Juarez,  Sept.  25,  26,  27 

SOUTHWEST 

Snowflake,  Ariz.,  June  7,  9,  10 
El  Paso,  Texas,  June  13,  14,  15 

TEXAS 

San  Antonio,  Aug.  20,  21 
Dallas,  Aug.  23,  25,  26 
Houston,  Aug.  28,  29,  30 


IDAHO  PROGRAMS 

Rexburg,  June  5,  6,  7 
Idaho  Falls,  June  9,  10,  11 
Pocatello,  June  12,  13, 14 
Blackfoot,  June  9,  10,  11 
Preston,  June  12,  13, 14 
Boise,  July  7,  8,  9 
Ontario-Weiser,  July  10,  11, 12 
Twin  Falls,  July  14,  15,  16 
Burley,  July  17,  18, 19 

NORTHERN  CALIFORNIA 

Sacramento,  July  7,  8,  9 
Oakland,  July  10,11,  12 
Palo  Alto,  July  14,  15,  16 
San  Jose,  July  17,  18,  19 

SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA 

Covina,  July  21,  22,23 
Anaheim,  July  24,  25,  26 
East  Long  Beach,  July  28,  29,  30 
Santa  Monica,  July  31 ,  Aug.  1 ,  2 
Glendale,  Aug.  4,  5,  6 
San  Fernando,  Aug.  7,  8,  9 
Pomona,  Aug.  11,  12,  13 


BYU  EDUCATION  WEEKS 

The  World  Is  Our  Campus 


On  the  Cover: 

The  time:  Sunday  evening,  November 
28,  1869. 

The  Scene:  The  parlor  of  the  Lion 
House. 

The  event:  The  organization  by  Presi- 
dent Brigham  Young  of  his  daughters 
into  a  retrenchment  association,  later 
to  become  the  Young  Women's  Mutual 
Improvement  Association. 

In  the  beautiful  painting  on  the 
cover,  Artist  Dale  Kilbourn  has  cap- 
tured the  scene  as  President  Young 
admonished  his  daughters  to  "re- 
trench in  your  dress,  in  your  tables, 
in  your  speech.  .  .  .  Retrench  in  every- 
thing that  is  bad  and  worthless,  and 
improve  in  everything  that  is  good 
and  beautiful." 

To  capture  the  facial  features  of  ten 
of  President  Young's  daughters  (who 
fondly  called  themselves  "The  Big 
Ten"),  the  artist  referred  to  the  photo- 
graph pictured  below,  which  is  now 
in  the  collection  of  the  Utah  State 
Historical  Society.  Pictured  are:  back 
row,  Zina  Young  Card,  Eva  Young 
Davis,  Nett  Young  Easton,  Maime 
Young  Croxall,  and  Maria  Young 
Dougall;  back  row,  Marinda  Young 
Conrad,  Carlie  Young  Cannon,  Ella 
Young  Empey  (first  president  of 
the  Retrenchment  Association),  Emily 
Young  Clawson,  and  Fannie  Young 
Thatcher. 

The  painting  will  be  presented  to 
the  YWMIA  during  June  Conference, 
June  26-29,  when  the  centennial  year 
will  officially  begin.  In  honor  of  the 
centennial,  this  issue  of  the  Era  fea- 
tures articles  about  the  YWMIA  as 
well  as  stories,  articles,  and  poetry 
about  women  and  the  Church. 


The  "Big  Ten" — daughters  of  Brigham  Young 


May  1969 


The  Voice  of  the  Church  •  May  1969  •  Volume  72,  Number  5 

Special  Features 

2  Editor's  Page:  These  Two  Together,  President  David  0.  McKay 

4  A  Salute  to  YWMIA 

6  The  First  Hundred  Years  of  YWMIA,  Eleanor  Knowles 

12  Mothers  of  the  Bible,  Elder  Sterling  W.  Sill 

16  MIA  Confrontation,  Florence  S.  Jacobsen 

25  The  Place  of  Women  in  the  Church  Today,  Belle  S.  Spafford 

28        Louisa  Lulu  Greene  Richards:  Woman  Journalist  of  the  Early  West, 
Dr.  Leonard  J.  Arrington 

34       The  Pioneer  Woman,  Dr.  Kenneth  and  Audrey  Ann  Godfrey 

39        A  Woman's  Career,  Lorraine  Roberts 

66       Retrench!    And  Be  It  Hereby  Resolved  .  .  . 

68        The  Centennial  Festivities — Churchwide  and  Yearlong,  Mabel  Jones 
Gabbott 

76       The  Most  Interviewed  Witness  (Part  8),  Dr.  Richard  Lloyd  Anderson 

84       A  Plea  for  Judicious  Use  of  Drug  Medications,  Dr.  J.  Louis  Schricker, 
Jr. 

87       A  New  Look  at  the  Pearl  of  Great  Price:  Part  8,  The  Unknown  Abra- 
ham (continued),  Dr.  Hugh  Nibley 

Regular  Features 

42       Teaching:  How  to  Teach  About  Womanhood,  Albert  L.  Payne 

71        Melchizedek    Priesthood    Page:    How  to   Delegate   Wisely   (Part   2), 

Elder  Ezra  Taft  Benson 

74       The  LDS  Scene 

92       Today's  Family:  It  Will  Never  Be  1869 — or  1969 — Again,   Florence 
B.  Pinnock 

98       The  Presiding  Bishop's  Page:  The  Presiding  Bishop  Talks  to  Youth 
About  What's  in  a  Name,  Bishop  John  H.  Vandenberg 

100        Buffs  and  Rebuffs 

102       The  Church  Moves  On 

104        Lest  We   Forget:   The   Pioneer  Woman's  Crowning  Glory,   Albert   L. 
Zobell,  Jr. 

107        These  Times:  Student  Unrest,  Dr.  G.  Homer  Durham 

112        End  of  an  Era 

75,  78,  101,  103        The  Spoken  Word,  Richard  L  Evans 

Era  of  Youth 

49-65        Marion  D.  Hanks  and  Elaine  Cannon,  Editors 

Fiction,  Poetry 

46       A  Happy  Misunderstanding,  Georgia  Shiner 
5,  11,  15,  32,  67,  100,  103        Poetry 

David  0.  McKay  and  Richard  L.  Evans,  Editors;  Doyle  L.  Green,  Managing  Editor;  Albert  L,  Zobell,  Jr.,  Research  Editor;  Mabel  Jones  Gabbott,  Jay  M.  Todd, 
Eleanor  Knowles,  William  T.  Sykes,  Editorial  Associates;  Florence  B.  Pinnack,  Today's  Family  Editor;  Marion  D.  Hanks,  Era  of  Youth  Editor;  Elaine  Cannon, 
Era  of  Youth  Associate  Editor;  Ralph  Reynolds,  Art  Director;  Norman  F.  Price,  Staff  Artist. 

G.   Homer  Durham,  Franklin  S.   Harris,  Jr.,   Hugh   Nibley,  Sidney  B.  Sperry,  Albert  L.  Payne,  Contributing  Editors. 

G.  Carlos  Smith,  Jr.,  General  Manager;  Florence  S.  Jacobsen,  Associate  General   Manager;  Verl  F.  Scott,  Business  Manager;  A.  Glen  Snarr,  Acting  Business 

Manager  and  Subscription   Director;  Thayer  Evans,  S.   Glenn  Smith,  Advertising  Representatives. 

©General  Superintendent,  Young  Men's  Mutual  Improvement  Association  of  The  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints,   1969,  and  published  by  the 

Mutual  Improvement  Associations  of  The  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day   Saints.    Ail    rights   reserved.   Subscription    price,   $3.00   a   year,    in   advance; 

multiple  subscriptions,  2  years,  $5.75;  3  years.  $8.25;  each  succeeding  year,   $2.50  a   year  added  to  the  three-year   price;   35S   single   copy,    except  for 

special  issues. 

Entered  at  the  Post  Office,  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah,  as  second  class  matter.  Acceptance  for  mailing  at  special  rate  of  postage  provided  for  in  section   1103, 

act  of  October  1917,  authorized  July  2,  1918. 

The  Improvement  Era  is  not  responsible  for  unsolicited  manuscripts  but  welcomes   contributions.    Manuscripts   are   paid   for  on   acceptance  and    must   be 

accompanied  by  sufficient  postage  for  delivery  and  return. 

Thirty  days'  notice  is  required  for  change  of  address.  When  ordering  a  change,   please  include  address  slip  from  a  recent  issue  of  the  magazine.    Address 

changes  cannot  be  made  unless  the  old  address  as  well  as  the  new  one  is  included. 

Official  organ  of  the  Priesthood  Quorums,  Mutual  Improvement  Associations,  Home  Teaching  Committee, 
Music  Committee,  Church   School  System, and  other  agencies  of  The  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints. 

The  Improvement  Era,  79  South  State,  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah  84111 


The  Editor's  Page 


TheseTwoTogether 


By  President  David  O.  McKay 


•  According  to  the  scriptures,  ".  .  .  neither  is  the  man 
without  the  woman,  neither  the  woman  without  the 
man,  in  the  Lord."  (1  Cor.  11:11.) 

Men  and  women  seldom  rise  above  the  goals  that 
they  set  for  each  other.  Though  woman's  life  is  filled 
with  almost  everything  that  is  good  and  lovely,  it  is 
inaccurate  to  speak  of  a  woman's  world  and  a  man's 
world,  because  the  two  are  inseparably  one.  In  gen- 
eral, men  and  women  have  the  same  interests,  the 
same  hopes  and  aspirations;  the  success  or  the  failure 
of  one  is  the  success  or  the  failure  of  the  other.  They 
share  each  other's  joys,  bear  each  other's  burdens,  and 
work  together  to  achieve  success.  I  repeat,  there  is 
no  such  thing  as  woman's  realm  and  man's  realm. 
There  is  only  one  realm  in  which  each  contributes 
his  or  her  efforts  toward  the  attainment  of  a  desired 
destiny.  Woman's  realm  is  as  unlimited  as  man's. 

However,  when  the  divine  Creator  created  man 
and  woman,  he  established  as  distinct  a  difference 
between  them  in  temperament,  in  natural  tendencies, 
and  in  the  field  of  activity,  as  he  did  in  sex;  the  most 
sublime  beauty  and  the  greatest  harmony  in  life  are 
attained  when  the  man  devotes  his  life  to  that  for 
which  nature  has  endowed  him,  and  the  woman  puts 
forth  her  best  efforts  along  the  lines  for  which  she  is 
best  fitted.  It  is  a  matter  of  deep  concern  that  social 
and  economic  conditions  today  are  enticing,  if  not 
forcing,  woman  out  of  the  sphere  in  which  she  herself 
can  find  the  most  happiness  and  can  render  the  great- 
est good  to  mankind. 


Womanhood  should  be  intelligent  and  pure,  be- 
cause it  is  the  living  life-fountain  from  which  flows 
the  stream  of  humanity.  She  who  would  pollute  that 
stream  by  tobacco,  poisonous  drugs,  or  germs  that 
would  shackle  the  unborn  is  untrue  to  her  sex  and  an 
enemy  to  the  strength  and  perpetuity  of  the  race. 

I  recall  these  words  from  Alfred,  Lord  Tennyson : 
"For  woman  is  not  undevelopt  man, 
But  diverse.    Could  we  make  her  as  the  man, 
Sweet  love  were  slain;  this  dearest  bond  is  this, 
Not  like  to  like,  but  like  in  indifference. 
Yet  in  the  long  years  liker  must  they  grow; 
The  man  be  more  of  woman,  she  of  man; 
He  gain  in  sweetness  and  in  moral  height, 
Nor  lose  the  wrestling  thews  that  throw  the  world; 
She  mental  breadth,  nor  fail  in  childward  care, 
Nor  lose  the  childlike  in  the  larger  mind; 
Till  at  the  last  she  set  herself  to  man, 
Like  perfect  music  unto  noble  words; 
And  so  these  twain,  upon  the  skirts  of  Time, 
Sit  side  by  side,  full-summ'd  in  all  their  powers, 
Dispensing  harvest,  sowing  the  to-be, 
Self -reverent  each  and  reverencing  each, 
Distinct  in  individualities, 
But  like  each  other  even  as  those  who  love. 
Then  comes  the  statelier  Eden  back  to  men; 
Then  reign  the  world's  great  bridals,  chaste  and  calm; 
Then  springs  the  crowning  race  of  humankind, 
May  these  things  be!" 

("The  Princess,"  Part  VII,  lines  259-80.) 


■ 


Improvement  Era 


One  of  the  greatest  needs  in  the  world  today  is 
intelligent,  conscientious  motherhood.  It  is  to  the 
home  that  we  must  look  for  the  inculcation  of  the 
fundamental  virtues  which  contribute  to  human  wel- 
fare and  happiness. 

Motherhood  is  the  greatest  potential  influence 
for  either  good  or  ill  in  human  life.  The  mother's 
image  is  the  first  that  stamps  itself  on  the  unwritten 
page  of  the  young  child's  mind.  It  is  her  caress  that 
first  awakens  a  sense  of  security;  her  kiss,  the  first 
realization  of  affection;  her  sympathy  and  tenderness, 
the  first  assurance  that  there  is  love  in  the  world. 
True,  there  comes  a  time  when  the  father  takes  his 
place  as  exemplar  and  hero  of  the  growing  boy;  and 
in  the  latter's  budding  ambition  to  develop  manly 
traits,  he  outwardly  seems  to  turn  from  the  more 
gentle  and  tender  virtues  engendered  by  his  mother. 
Yet,  that  ever-directing  and  restraining  influence  im- 
planted during  the  first  years  of  his  childhood  lingers 
with  him  and  permeates  his  thoughts  and  memory  as 
distinctively  as  perfume  clings  to  each  particular 
flower. 

Some  lines  I  often  quote  are  these: 

"The  builder  who  first  bridged  Niagara's  Gorge, 
Before  he  swung  his  cable,  shore  to  shore, 
Sent  out  across  the  gulf  his  venturing  kite, 
Bearing  a  slender  cord  for  unseen  hands 
To  grasp  upon  the  further  cliff  and  draw 
A  great  cord,  and  then  a  greater  yet! 


Till  at  last  across  the  chasm  swung 
The  cable— then  the  mighty  bridge  in  air. 
So  we  may  send  our  little  timid  thought 
Across  the  void,  out  to  God's  reaching  hands; 
Send  out  our  love  and  faith  to   thread  the  deep- 
Thought  after  thought,  until  the  little  cord 
Has  become  a  chain,  a  chain  no  chance  can  break, 
And  we  are  anchored  to  the  Infinite." 

There  are  little  cords  of  influence  that  are  binding 
and  shaping  the  little  babe's  life  and  the  little  child's 
life,  until  youth  begins  to  be  bound  by  the  cable,  and 
later  in  life  by  the  chain— the  chain  of  habit.  Forces 
that  are  throwing  out  these  little  cords  into  the  chil- 
dren's lives  are  the  home,  the  playground,  the  school, 
the  peer  group,  and  society. 

The  laws  of  life  and  the  revealed  word  of  God 
combine  in  placing  upon  motherhood  and  fatherhood 
the  responsibility  of  giving  to  children  not  only  a 
pure,  unshackled  birth,  but  also  a  training  in  faith 
and  uprightness.  They  are  to  be  taught  "to  under- 
stand the  doctrine  of  repentance,  faith  in  Christ  the 
Son  of  the  living  God,  and  of  baptism  and  the  gift  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  by  the  laying  on  of  hands,  when  eight 
years  old."  To  those  who  neglect  this  in  precept  and 
example,  "the  sin  be  upon  the  heads  of  the  parents." 
(D&C  68:25.) 

Ideally,  life  is  indeed  a  partnership  between  man 
and  woman,  each  striving  to  keep  the  commandments 
and  do  the  will  of  the  Lord.  ° 


May   1969 


A  Salute 


Tributes  by  the  First  Presidency  and  the 


•  On  an  eventful  Sabbath  evening,  November  28, 
1869,  after  other  meetings  of  the  day  were  concluded, 
President  Brigham  Young  called  the  women  members 
of  his  family  together  at  his  Lion  House  residence  and 
there  organized  the  Retrenchment  Society.  It  became 
the  forerunner  of  the  Young  Women's  Mutual  Im- 
provement Association. 

Now,  as  we  prepare  to  celebrate  the  centennial  of 
that  humble  beginning,  we  find  that  the  YWMIA  has 
grown  from  one  meeting  of  one  family  to  thousands 
of  associations,  on  six  continents  and  many  islands  of 
the  sea,  involving  literally  every  family  in  the  Church. 
The  inspired  purpose  of  that  organization  was  en- 
visioned in  that  first  meeting;  it  was  to  extend  the 
spirit  and  influence  of  the  home  and  to  develop, 
strengthen,  and  maintain  individual  testimonies. 

Church  members  are  sometimes  awed  by  statistics 
and  the  strength  they  indicate.  Such  statistics  disclose 
the  united  efforts  of  the  group,  but  it  is  the  individual 
who  is  most  important.  No  individual  is  of  more 
importance  than  any  other,  and  the  final  number  re- 
ported in  the  statistics  results  from  the  combined 
efforts  of  the  individuals  whose  work  arid  devotion 
have  been  so  freely  given. 

To  the  leaders  and  the  teachers  of  the  Young 
Women's  Mutual  Improvement  Association  we  say— as 
we  would  to  the  members  called  in  other  auxiliaries 
of  the  Church.  Yours  is  a  full-time  assignment;  it  does 
not  stop  each  week  as  you  complete  the  presentation 
of  your  lesson.  It  continues  seven  days  a  week  each 
year,  as  you  meet  your  members  and  their  families 
in  other  meetings  of  the  Church,  in  the  marketplace, 
or  wherever  your  paths  may  cross. 

And  to  you  young  women,  your  MIA  work  is  not  a 
one-evening-a-week  'class  period.  To  you,  MIA  is 
pointing  to  a  way  of  life  as  you  incorporate  into  your 
lives  the  thrilling  concepts  unfolded  to  you  there.  It  is 
not  difficult  to  identify  the  young  women  who  main- 
tain these  ideals;  they  are  indeed  a  radiant  beacon  in 
any  gathering. 


The  Church  was  organized  (as  was  the  YWMIA)  to 
develop  the  complete  individual— spiritually,  physi- 
cally, mentally,  and  aesthetically— constantly  preparing 
for  life's  opportunities  and  tests.  We  thank  the  Lord 
for  the  inspiration  given  to  President  Brigham  Young 
a  century  ago.  The  Lord  has  strengthened  and  in- 
spired its  leadership  and  its  membership  for  ten  full 
decades. 

To  you  young  women  in  the  MIA— some  barely  in 
your  teens,  some  older— we  say,  God  is  mindful  of  you 
and  your  hopes  and  aspirations.  He  desires  you  to 
succeed  in  all  your  righteous  desires  and  endeavors. 
Earth  life  is  a  period  of  testing,  of  walking  largely  by 
faith  within  the  great  principle  of  free  agency, 
according  to  a  plan  that  each  of  us  willingly  accepted 
in  the  great  premortal  councils.  The  way  is  difficult 
at  times,  but  the  Lord  is  always  near  to  listen  to  your 
prayers  and  to  give  you  the  answer  he  knows  is  best. 
In  a  very  large  view,  your  problems  may  not  be  very 
different  from  the  problems  which  faced  the  first 
YWMIA  members  and  all  who  have  been  members 
during  the  span  of  100  years. 

We  congratulate  all  of  you  who  are  now  affiliated 
as  members,  teachers,  or  leaders  in  the  YWMIA  in 
this,  your  centennial  year.  You  are  always  remem- 
bered in  our  prayers,  and  we  welcome  you  as  partners 
and  fellow  workers  in  the  building  of  his  kingdom 
upon  earth. 


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IT    FIRST  PRESIDENCY 


Improvement  Era 


toYWMIA 


YMMIA  General  Superintendeney 


•  In  the  year  1869  President  Brig- 
ham  Young  realized  that  the  young 
ladies  of  the  Church  as  well  as  the 
young  men  of  the  Aaronic  Priest- 
hood needed  counsel  and  guidance. 
Beginning  with  the  daughters  in 
his  own  family,  he  formed  an  asso- 
ciation which  today  encompasses 
the  girls  in  the  Church  throughout 
the  world.  In  1969  there  are  many 
thousands  of  officers  and  teachers 
throughout  the  world  giving  dedi- 
cated leadership  to  the  daughters 
of  Zion. 

In  addition  to  their  responsi- 
bility as  the  bishop's  staff  for  the 
"girls  of  corresponding  age"  (a 
function  parallel  to  that  of  the 
Aaronic  Priesthood  quorum  ad- 
visers), the  Young  Women's  Mutual 
Improvement  Association  has  ful- 
filled its  charge  to  provide  for  the 
social,  cultural,  and  recreational 
needs  of  the  young  ladies  of  the 
Church.  Theirs  is  an  effective  part- 
nership with  their  counterpart,  the 
Young  Men's  Mutual  Improvement 
Association.  In  this  unique  organi- 
zational role,  they  have  provided 
balanced,  gospel-focused  instruc- 
tion that  has  qualified  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  wonderful  young 
women  as  full  partners  in  marriages 
in  the  temples  of  the  Lord. 

For  your  total  dedication  to  your 
inspired  calling— for  your  patient 
service  beyond  the  call  of  duty— 
for  your  unswerving  loyalty  to  the 
Savior  and  his  teachings,  we  con- 
gratulate   and    reaffirm    our    total 


THESE  HUNDRED  YEARS 
YWMIA  .  .  .  1869-1969 

By  Mabel  Jones  Gabbott 

Like  the  wind-blown  blossoms  of  a  hundred  springs, 

The  century  has  gone  since  Brigham  said, 

"Retrench  in  ways  unlovely,  seek  all  things 

To  elevate,  refine  both  heart  and  head." 

In  all  lightmindedness  of  thought  and  silly 
Speeches,  in  vain  deportment,  in  worldly  fashion, 
Retrench!  The  time  has  come!  No  more  such  folly! 
Be  neat  and  comely  with  beauty  and  compassion. 

So  up  and  down  the  valleys  the  Prophet's  word, 

Capping  excitement  like  a  tide-pulled  wave, 

A  surging,  singing,  clarion  call,  ivas  heard 

As  young  girls  gathered.  And  the  movement  gave 
An  aura  to  all  years  before  and  after: 
Intense  with  young  girls'  talk,  with  young  girls'  faces, 
Gay  with  dance  and  song  and  modest  laughter, 
And  high  accomplishment  in  world-flung  places. 

Between  the  earth's  first  sunrise  and  its  crystal  end 
Is  this  bright  moment  in  eternity; 
These  faith-filled  glowing  hundred  years  ivill  lend 
A  richer  meaning  to  all  time  to  be. 


support    to    you    of     the     Young      Association     as    you    begin    your 
Women's      Mutual      Improvement      second  century  of  service.  o 


The  YMMIA  General  Superintendeney  ~~~JJ        •    5^ ■  //^4sf~^ 


tendent 


General  Superintendent 


May   1969 


Photo  at  left  shows  a  YWMIA  stake  board  in  the  1930' s.  Below, 
President  Brigham  Young's  homes — Lion  House,  left,  where  the 
YWMIA  was  organized,  and  Bee  Hive  House — in  a  photo  taken  in 
1860's;    right,    girls    of    about    1910    enjoy    recreational    activity. 


The  First  Hundred  Years 


•  Women  of  1969  who  follow  fashion's  extreme  fads  of 
dress,  make-up,  and  hair  styles  might  be  surprised  to 
learn  that  it  was  under  just  such  conditions  that  what 
is  now  known  as  the  Young  Women's  Mutual  Improve- 
ment Association  was  organized. 

In  every  generation  it's  the  women— particularly 
those  in  their  teens  and  twenties— who  eagerly  seize 
upon  new  trends  in  fashion,  in  the  eternal  quest  of 
woman  for  beauty.  During  the  first  few  years  after 
the  Saints  arrived  in  the  Salt  Lake  Valley,  modesty  in 
dress  was  the  rule,  as  the  more  urgent  needs  of  estab- 
lishing homes,  planting  crops,  and  building  a  com- 
munity were  filled.  But  as  these  problems  were 
conquered,  the  natural  love  of  the  women  for  beauti- 
ful clothes  became  evident,  and  they  began  to  pay 
more  attention  to  personal  appearance. 

The  year  1869  was  a  momentous  one  for  the  Saints, 
for  in  May  of  that  year  the  last  link  of  the  transconti- 
nental railroad  was  completed.  In  many  respects  this 
was  a  great  blessing,  for  emigrants  from  distant  shores 
could  now  travel  in  relative  comfort  across  the  hot, 


dusty  plains,  and  supplies  for  construction,  farming, 
and  merchandising  could  be  shipped  in  more  quickly 
and  cheaply. 

But  with  these  great  benefits  came  Dame  Fashion! 
As  the  women  of  the  community  adopted  the  newest 
fashions  of  the  bustle,  ruffles,  shingled  hair,  and  other 
frills,  President  Brigham  Young  became  alarmed. 
Something  must  be  done— and  his  own  family  must 
lead  the  way! 

Thus,  on  Sunday  evening,  November  28,  1869,  Presi- 
dent Young  stepped  into  the  front  parlor  of  the  Lion 
House  and  rang  the  prayer  bell,  summoning  the  female 
members  of  his  household.  After  the  evening  prayer 
had  been  offered,  he  addressed  his  family: 

"All  Israel  are  looking  to  my  family  and  watching 
the  example  set  by  my  wives  and  children.  For  this 
reason  I  desire  to  organize  my  own  family  first  into 
a  society  for  the  promotion  of  habits  of  order,  thrift, 
industry,  and  charity;  and  above  all  things  I  desire 
them  to  retrench  from  their  extravagance  in  dress,  in 
eating  and  even  in  speech.    The  time  has  come  when 


1880 


1S9S 


19©r      191®      101%         1$M»       )dh 


181® 


In  photo  at  left,  Elmina  S.  Taylor,  first  YWMIA  president 
(second  row,  fourth  from  left)  poses  with  counselors  and 
YWMIA  workers,  1896.  Above,  four  young  women  who  in 
1884  called  themselves  "The  Big  Four":  Mrs.  J.  E.  Caine, 
Mrs.  J.  H.  Moyle,  Mrs.  Frank  Jennings,  Mrs.  Ben  R.  El- 
dredge.  Below,  YWMIA  members  march  down  Salt  Lake 
City's   Main   Street  in   colorful  parade  formation   in   1925. 


of  YWMIA 


By  Eleanor  Knowles 

Editorial  Associate 


the  sisters  must  agree  to  give  up  their  follies  of  dress 
and  cultivate  a  modest  apparel,  a  meek  deportment, 
and  to  set  an  example  worthy  of  imitation  before  the 
people  of  the  world.  I  am  weary  of  the  manner  in 
which  our  women  seek  to  outdo  each  other  in  all  the 
foolish  fashions  of  the  world.  .  .  . 

"I  have  long  had  it  in  my  mind  to  organize  the 
young  ladies  of  Zion  into  an  association.  ...  I  wish 
our  girls  to  obtain  a  knowledge  of  the  gospel  for 
themselves.  For  this  purpose  I  desire  to  establish  this 
organization  and  want  my  family  to  lead  out  in  the 
great  work.  .  .  . 

"We  are  about  to  organize  a  retrenchment  associa- 
tion, which  I  want  you  all  to  join,  and  I  want  you  to 
vote  to  retrench  in  your  dress,  in  your  tables,  in  your 
speech,  wherein  you  have  been  guilty  of  silly,  ex- 
travagant speeches  and  lightmindedness  of  thought. 
Retrench  in  everything  that  is  not  good  and  beautiful, 
not  to  make  yourselves  unhappy,  but  to  live  so  that 
you  may  be  truly  happy  in  this  life  and  the  life  to 
come." 


Among  those  present  that  evening  was  Eliza  R. 
Snow,  gifted  poet  and  author,  who  was  active  in  the 
Female  Relief  Society,  first  organization  of  women 
in  the  Church.  President  Young  asked  her  to  assist  in 
organizing  the  new  association,  which  was  given  the 
name  "Young  Ladies  Department  of  the  Cooperative 
Retrenchment  Association"  (soon  shortened  to  Young 
Ladies  Retrenchment  Association).  The  officers  were 
Ella  Young  Empey,  president;  Emily  Young  Clawson, 
Zina  Young  Williams,  Maria  Young  Dougall,  Caroline 
Young,  Dora  Young,  and  Phebe  Young,  counselors. 

News  of  the  new  association  spread  rapidly,  and 
similar  groups  sprang  up  throughout  Salt  Lake  Valley, 
most  of  which  were  organized  under  the  direction  of 
Eliza  R.  Snow.  Within  a  year  there  were  also  associa- 
tions in  Ogden,  Provo,  Logan,  Brigham  City,  Bounti- 
ful, and  other  towns  and  communities  in  the  territory. 

The  first  groups  were  virtually  autonomous,  as 
there  was  no  written  program  or  outline  for  them  to 
follow.  Each  local  association  adopted  its  own  list 
of  resolutions,  which  usually  included  those  Brigham 


J9R® 


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'■&>  tggr      104£      194*7  '19ST     1£><9i 


Standing  at  attention  at  parade  in 
1925  (below):  President  B.  H.  Rob- 
erts, Clarissa  Bees/ey,  Ruth  May 
Fox.  Right,  Susa  Young  Gates, 
editor  of  Young  Woman's   Journal. 


Young  had  suggested  to  his  daughters.  Programs  and 
policies,  however,  were  in  large  part  determined  by 
the  individual  group. 

In  1875  the  Young  Men's  Mutual  Improvement 
Association  was  organized,  and  President  Young  sug- 
gested that  the  name  of  the  Retrenchment  Associa- 
tion be  changed  to  a  similar  name:  Young  Ladies 
Mutual  Improvement  Association.  (This  was  officially 
changed  again  in  1934  to  the  name  by  which  it  is 
now  known— Young  Women's  Mutual  Improvement 
Association  or  YWMIA,  the  designation  we  will  use 
in  the  rest  of  this  article. ) 

With  growth  and  expansion  in  the  associations  came 
the  need  for  central  governing  boards  to  help  set 
policies  and  coordinate  the  activities  of  the  various 
units,  In  1878  the  first  stake  board  was  organized,  in 
Salt  Lake  Stake,  and  soon  similar  boards  were  named 
in  other  stakes.  On  a  general  level,  a  "central  board," 
composed  of  "aids,"  was  established  during  the  1890's, 
and  in  1921  this  became  the  general  board. 

Much  of  the  credit  for  accomplishment  in  an  orga- 
nization goes  to  those  who  direct  it,  and  this  is  cer- 
tainly true  of  the  Young  Women's  Mutual  Improvement 
Association.  Six  women  have  served  as  general  presi- 
dents during  the  past  100  years,  and  all  have  been 
dynamic  leaders  of  great  ability. 

The  first  general  presidency,  called  in  June  1880, 
consisted  of  Elmina  Shepherd  Taylor,  president,  and 
Margaret  Y.  Taylor  (wife  of  President  John  Taylor) 
and  Martha  Home  Tingey,  counselors.  Maria  Young 
Dougall,  one  of  Brigham  Young's  daughters  who  was 
present  at  the  organization  of  the  first  Retrenchment 
Association,  later  replaced  Margaret  Taylor  as 
counselor. 

These  women  traveled  many  thousands  of  miles  by 
horse  and  buggy,  establishing  young  women's  groups 


and  overseeing  the  work  of  the  association.  Sister 
Taylor  died  in  1904,  and  in  April  1905  Martha  Home 
Tingey,  her  counselor,  became  general  president,  with 
Ruth  May  Fox  and  Mae  Taylor  Nystrom  (a  daughter 
of  Elmina  Taylor)  as  counselors. 

Sister  Tingey,  who  had  been  called  at  the  age  of  22 
to  serve  in  the  first  general  presidency,  completed  49 
years  in  the  YWMIA  presidency— 25  as  counselor  and 
24  as  president— before  her  release  in  1929.  On  March 
28  of  that  year,  Ruth  May  Fox  was  sustained  as  gen- 
eral president,  with  Lucy  Grant  Cannon  and  Clarissa 
A.  Beesley  as  counselors.  Sister  Cannon  was  the  next 
general  president,  named  in  October  1937.  In  the  11 
years  she  headed  the  YWMIA,  she  served  with  three 
able  counselors:  Helen  Spencer  Williams,  Verna 
Wright  Goddard,  and  Lucy  Taylor  Anderson. 

In  April  1948  Bertha  S.  Reeder  became  general 
president,  with  Emily  H.  Bennett  and  LaRue  C.  Long- 
den  as  her  counselors.  They  were  released  on  Septem- 
ber 30,  1961,  when  Florence  S.  Jacobsen,  Margaret  R. 
Jackson,  and  Dorothy  P.  Holt  were  sustained  as  the 
new  presidency. 

One  characteristic  of  the  MIA  that  has  contributed 
to  its  continued  growth  and  appeal  to  youth  has  been 
the  fact  that  the  programs  are  not  static.  They  have 
been  developed  as  need  and  interest  have  arisen,  and 
often  changed  to  meet  changes  in  the  times. 

The  first  Retrenchment  Association  was  composed  of 
girls  and  women  of  many  ages,  but  it  soon  became 
evident  that  a  division  was  desirable,  and  the  junior 
and  senior  departments  were  organized.  Age  and  de- 
partment alignments  have  changed  several  times  since 
then.  For  example,  the  Beehive  class,  organized  in 
1913  to  provide  summer  activities  for  teen-age  girls, 
became  a  program  for  girls  14  through  18  years  of  age. 
However,  by  the  late  1920's  the  program  was  modified 


Improvement  Era 


Six  women  have  guided  the  YVVM/A  as  general  president 
during  the  past  one  hundred  years,  from  left:  Elmina  S. 
Taylor,  Martha  Home  Tingey,  Ruth  May  Fox  (top),  Lucy 
Grant  Cannon  (bottom),  Bertha  S.  Reeder,  and  Florence  S. 
Jacobsen. 


and  girls  of  12  and  13  were  eligible  to  join.  In  the 
meantime,  the  older  Beehive  girls  (those  16  and  17) 
were  organized  into  the  Junior  department,  and  girls 
18  through  25  became  Gleaners. 

Other  refinements  of  these  classes  took  place  through 
the  years,  and  today  there  are  four  classes  for  the 
young  women:  Beehive  class  for  those  12  and  13  years 
of  age;  Mia  Maids,  14  and  15;  Laurels,  16  and  17;  and 
Gleaners,  18  and  over.  In  addition,  adults  may  choose 
to  attend  either  Young  Marrieds  groups  or  Mutual 
Study  classes,  where  the  courses  of  study  are  selected 
by  each  individual  group  to  meet  the  interests  of  its 
members. 

While  the  general  board  is  composed  of  activity 
specialists,  writers,  and  others  selected  for  their  abil- 
ity to  create  and  refine  the  programs,  many  ideas  for 
MIA  have  come  from  the  field.  One  such  program  is 
the  Girls  Program,  now  an  integral  part  of  the  YWMIA 
for  girls  12  through  25.  In  his  charge  to  his  daughters 
at  the  organization  of  the  Retrenchment  Association, 
Brigham  Young  stated:  "There  is  a  need  for  the  young 
daughters  of  Israel  to  get  a  living  testimony  of  the 
truth.  I  wish  our  girls  to  obtain  a  knowledge  of  the  gos- 
pel for  themselves."  Most  girls  in  the  wards  and 
stakes  throughout  the  Church  became  affiliated  with 
the  Retrenchment  Association  and  later  the  MIA  as 
it.  was  organized  in  their  areas.  However,  many  girls, 
particularly  those  who  had  left  their  home  towns  to 
seek  employment  elsewhere,  were  not  involved  in 
MIA  groups. 

Several  stakes  recognized  this  problem  and  initiated 
programs  designed  to  keep  track  of  their  girls  and 
hold  them  close  to  the  Church.  Such  a  stake  was 
Granite  Stake  in  Salt  Lake  City,  whose  program  was 
later  adopted  by  the  entire  Church.  Sister  Pearl 
Green,  first  chairman  of  Granite  Stake's  girls'  program, 


described  her  stake's  involvement  and  concern: 

"The  girls'  program  originated  in  Granite  Stake  in 
1940  when  one  of  the  women  asked  President  P.  Drew 
Clarke,  first  counselor  in  the  stake  presidency,  why 
so  much  attention  was  given  to  the  boys  in  the 
Church,  and  why  no  mention  was  made  of  the  girls. 
President  Clarke  thought  over  the  matter  carefully.  He 
had  a  survey  made  of  Granite  Stake  to  learn  whether 
there  were  more  boys  attending  church  than  girls.  To 
his  amazement  it  was  found  that  the  number  of  boys 
greatly  exceeded  that  of  the  girls." 

Auxiliary  leaders  were  called  in,  and  a  program  was 
developed  to  help  increase  attendance  of  the  girls  at 
Sunday  School,  Mutual  Improvement  Association,  and 
sacrament  meetings,  and  to  encourage  tithe  paying, 
clean  living,  and  the  keeping  of  the  Word  of  Wisdom, 
with  awards  given  to  those  youth  who  met  minimum 
requirements  in  these  areas.  The  results  of  the  pro- 
gram were  revealing:  between  June  1941  and  Decem- 
ber 1943  attendance  of  girls  at  Sunday  School 
increased  from  47%  to  65%;  sacrament  meeting,  20%  to 
41%;  tithe  paying,  32%  to  72%;  and  observance  of  the 
Word  of  Wisdom,  86%  to  91%. 

The  success  of  the  girls'  program  in  Granite  Stake 
and  in  other  stakes  led  to  its  being  adopted  for  the 
entire  Church  in  1946,  under  the  direction  of  the 
Presiding  Bishopric.  At  April  conference  in  1950,  it 
was  officially  transferred  to  the  YWMIA.  In  18  years 
of  its  administration  of  the  program,  the  YWMIA 
notes  these  areas  of  overall  growth:  50,425  girls  en- 
rolled in  1950,  and  138,787  enrolled  in  1968;  180  stakes 
participating  in  1950,  488  in  1968;  47%  attendance  of 
girls  at  sacrament  meeting  in  1950,  56%  in  1968;  and 
59%  attendance  at  MIA  in  1950,  64%  in  1968. 

In  the  early  days  of  MIA,  communication  between 
general  officers  and  local  groups  presented  problems, 


May   1969 


Activities  sponsored  by  the  YWMIA: 
Youth  chorus  of  1969  rehearses  in 
the  Salt  Lake  Tabernacle;  Idaho  Falls 


girls  of  1950's  present  gold  and 
green  ball  floorshow;  three  Gleaners 
from  Parley's  Ward  spoof  the  1920' s. 


and  a  means  for  disseminating  instructions  as  well  as 
lesson  materials  was  badly  needed.  Almost  simul- 
taneously General  President  Elmira  Taylor  and  Susa 
Young  Gates,  a  daughter  of  Brigham  Young  and  gifted 
Church  writer,  became  impressed  with  the  advisability 
of  establishing  a  magazine  for  the  young  women  of 
the  Church. 

Sister  Gates,  who  was  in  Hawaii  on  a  mission  with 
her  husband,  wrote  to  President  Joseph  F.  Smith,  out- 
lining her  ideas  for  a  magazine  for  the  Young  Ladies 
Mutual  Improvement  Association.  Lengthy  corre- 
spondence between  her,  Sister  Taylor,  and  members 
of  the  First  Presidency  led  to  her  appointment  to  begin 
publication  of  The  Young  Woman s  Journal.  From  the 
first  issue,  published  in  October  1889,  the  magazine 
featured  articles,  stories,  and  poetry  by  and  for  Latter- 
day  Saint  women,  as  well  as  instructions  to  MIA 
officers  and  teachers. 

Lesson  suggestions  were  initially  offered  in  pamph- 
let form,  but  with  the  success  of  the  Journal  assured, 
lessons  were  included  in  each  issue,  beginning  in 
November  1899.  As  each  department  of  the  MIA 
matured,  however,  separate  courses  of  study  were  pre- 
pared and  manuals  published.  Eventually,  The  Young 
Woman's  Journal  printed  only  MIA  information  of 
general  interest,  with  brief  reports  or  instructions  for 
each  department. 

In  1929,  the  Journal  was  "wedded"  to  The  Improve- 
ment Era,  monthly  magazine  of  the  Young  Men's  MIA, 
Jwith  a  special  ceremony  in  the  Salt  Lake  Tabernacle 
during  June  Conference.  The  first  issue  of  the  com- 
bined 'magazines  was  published  in  November  1929. 

Many  outstanding  women  were  associated  with  the 
Journal  during  its  40-year  history,  including  such  tal- 
ented writers  and  editors  as  Leah  D.  Widtsoe,  daughter 
of  Journal  founder  Susa  Young  Gates;   May  Booth 


Talmage  (wife  of  Elder  James  E.  Talmage)  and  her 
daughter,  Elsie  Talmage  Brandley;  Ann  M.  Cannon, 
Mary  E.  Connelly  (who  later  became  editor  of  the 
Relief  Society  Magazine),  Kate  Thomas,  Ruth  May 
Fox,  Marba  C.  Josephson,  and  others. 

Dancing,  music,  drama,  and  other  cultural  activi- 
ties have  been  .an  integral  part  of  the  Latter-day  Saint 
culture  since  earliest  pioneer  days,  and  the  MIA  has 
taken  a  leading  role  in  promoting  these  activities. 
Music  was  one  of  the  first  activities  to  come  under  the 
aegis  of  the  YWMIA,  and  one  of  the  first  two  com- 
mittees appointed  to  the  general  board  in  1892  was  the 
music  committee.  Dance,  drama,  speech,  sports,  and 
camp  committees  were  established  as  interest  de- 
veloped in  these  areas. 

Activities  held  in  conjunction  with  the  YMMIA  date 
back  to  the  1890's,  when  joint  general  conferences 
began,  and  gradually  the  two  programs  were  fused 
until  today  YWMIA  and  YMMIA  members  meet 
jointly  on  general,  stake,  and  ward  levels  for  general 
activities,  many  class  activities,  and  even  some  of  their 
lessons. 

Many  of  the  activities  developed  by  the  MIA  have 
received  praise  and  recognition  internationally.  Typi- 
cal of  these  programs  is  the  roadshow,  which  was 
started  as  a  pilot  program  in  Granite  Stake  in  1924 
and  is  now  a  part  of  the  MIA  everywhere.  This  con- 
cept of  short,  breezy,  entertaining  skits  presented  by 
several  wards,  with  the  casts  traveling  to  audiences 
in  two  or  more  locations,  has  been  as  popular  in 
Australia  and  the  South  Pacific  as  in  the  United 
States.  Where  distances  between  wards  and  stakes 
are  too  great  for  the  show  troupes  to  travel,  the  acts  are 
often  prepared  for  presentation  at  youth  conferences 
or  stake  outings. 

Massive  all-Church  dance  festivals  are  also  unique 


10 


Improvement  Era 


Music  and  dance  combine  in  act  from  Parley's  Stake  spring  sing  (far 
left);  YWMIA  campers  learn  how  to  build  fires  (left);  MIA  girls  in  Europe 
wear  colorful  native  costume  for  music  activity  (below,  left);  and 
Japanese  youth  enjoy  dancing,  in  activity  program  of  worldwide  MIA! 


with  the  MIA.  The  first  festivals  were  held  at  Saltair, 
a  resort  some  20  miles  west  of  Salt  Lake  City  on  the 
shores  of  the  Great  Salt  Lake.  When  that  facility 
could  no  longer  hold  the  crowds,  the  festivals  were 
moved  to  the  University  of  Utah  Stadium,  where  they 
now  feature  more  than  6,000  dancers  in  a  two-night 
stand  for  upwards  of  40,000  people  each  night. 

Yes,  the  YWMIA  has  grown  and  developed  to  meet 
the  times  and  needs  of  modern  youth.  But  the  basic 
concepts  voiced  by  Brigham  Young  remain  in  force. 
Even  retrenchment  in  dress  has  continued  to  concern 
the  young  women  of  the  Church.  In  1903,  when  the 
organization  was  34  years  old,  the  wife  of  Assistant 
Church  Historian  Andrew  Jenson  reported  on  a  trip 
to  Europe:  ".  .  .  in  all  six  countries  which  I  visited  I 
never  saw  the  extravagance  in  dress  that  I  have  wit- 
nessed among  the  young  women  on  the  streets  of  Salt 
Lake  City.  Nor  did  I  ever  while  in  Europe  see  a  lady 
on  the  street  or  in  a  place  of  worship,  wearing  a  low- 
neck  dress  and  short  sleeves.  Extravagance  of  dress,  I 
think,  is  a  growing  evil  among  our  young  people." 

Times  are  not  so  different  in  1969  as  they  were  in 
1869  or  even  1903  in  this  regard,  for  the  leaders  and 
members  of  YWMIA  are  still  concerned  about  the 
styles  of  the  day.  True,  long  skirts  are  no  longer  in 
vogue,  and  the  bustles  that  Brigham  Young  decried 
would  look  silly  on  today's  teenagers.  But  modesty  in 
dress  is  still  being  taught  to  the  young  girls,  and  the 
MIA  continues  to  stress  the  importance  of  helping  the 
"young  daughters  of  Israel  to  get  a  living  testimony 
of  the  truth." 


What  will  the  next  100  years  hold  in  store  for 
YWMIA?  No  one  can  really  answer  this  question,  but 
if  lessons  are  to  be  learned  from  the  past  100  years, 
the  programs  will  continue  to  change  and  grow  with 
the  Church  and  the  times.  Programs  that  are  now 
part  of  the  total  YWMIA  program  may  be  replaced, 
new  and  different  emphasis  may  be  placed  on  activi- 
ties and  lessons,  and  certain  pilot  programs  that  have 
proved  successful  in  stakes  will  probably  be  adopted 
into  the  program  as  a  whole. 

But  the  gospel  principles  are  eternal,  and  the  advice 
and  admonition  of  President  Brigham  Young  given  100 
years  ago  to  his  daughters  will  still  provide  the  base 
from  which  MIA  will  grow.  In  1930,  the  centennial  of 
the  Church,  Ruth  May  Fox,  president  of  the  YWMIA, 
wrote  a  song  that  has  become  a  favorite  anthem  of  the 
MIA,  "Carry  On."  Perhaps  some  words  from  that  song 
best  illustrate  the  direction  YWMIA  has  taken  during 
the  past  100  years  and  will  continue  to  take  in  the 
next  100: 

"We'll  build  on  the  rock  they  planted 

A  palace  to  the  King. 

Into  its  shining  corridors, 

Our  songs  of  praise  we'll  bring, 

For  the  heritage  they  left  us, 

Not  of  gold  or  worldly  wealth, 

But  a  blessing  everlasting 

Of  love  and  joy  and  health.  .  .  . 

O  youth  of  the  noble  birthright, 

Carry  on,  carry  on,  carry  on!"  o 


Where  Mothers  Live 
By  Enola  Chamberlain 


Some  have  said  that  mothers 
Live  at  the  kitchen  sink, 
Where  the  china  rattles 
And  the  tall  milk  glasses  clink. 


But  that's  just  part,  the  smallest: 
They  live  in  a  world  of  delight, 
Waiting  for  the  coming 
Of  their  loved  ones  home  at  night. 


May  1969 


11 


The  father  and  mother  of  Sam- 
son as  painted  by  Rembrandt 


Mothers  of  the  Bible 


By  Elder  Sterling  W.  Sill 

Assistant  to  the  Council  of  the  Twelve 


•  On  Mother's  Day  we  honor  that  important  person 
who  stands  next  to  God  in  benefiting  our  lives.  She 
served  as  the  mold  in  which  our  physical  form  was 
cast;  she  also  shapes  our  mental,  spiritual,  and  moral 
lives. 

The  word  mother  also  has  symbolic  and  metaphorical 
meanings.  Cicero  once  pointed  out  that  gratitude  was 
the  mother  of  virtues.  A  genuine  gratitude  is  a  kind  of 
matrix  from  which  godliness,  faith,  and  ambition  may 
be  born.  It  is  helpful  for  us  to  understand  that  char- 
acter traits,  ideals,  and  abilities  also  have  mothers, 
and  it  is  a  good  idea  to  go  behind  the  result  occa- 
sionally to  get  acquainted  with  the  power  that  gave 
it  its  life. 

It  is  an  interesting  fact  that  even  the  Son  of  God 
needed  a  mother.  Once  each  year,  we  recount  the 
story  of  that  long  ago  night  in  Bethlehem  when  Mary 
started  Jesus  toward  his  earthly  destiny.  The  New 
Testament  refers  to  89  occasions  when  Jesus  quoted 
from  the  Old  Testament;  we  might  wonder  how  many 
times  he  quoted  from  his  mother. 

The  Bible  is  usually  thought  of  as  our  greatest 
earthly  possession.  It  contains  the  directions  by  which 
our  lives  may  become  eternal  and  glorious.  How 
greatly  the  Bible  itself  must  have  been  enriched  by 
those  wonderful  women  who  mothered  the  prophets 
and  helped  to  form  the  culture  in  which  we  live. 

I  suppose  that  a  good  place  to  begin  a  study  of 
Bible  mothers  is  where  God  himself  began.  All  of  our 
lives  started  out  in  heaven.  Paul  said,  ".  .  .  we  have 
had  fathers  of  our  flesh  which  corrected  us,  and  we 
gave  them  reverence:  shall  we  not  much  rather  be  in 
subjection  unto  the  Father  of  spirits,  and  live?"  (Heb. 
12:9.) 

Certainly  no  one  has  ever  had  a  father  in  heaven  or 
anywhere  else  without  also  having  a  mother.  Heaven 
would  not  be  heaven  without  women.  In  his  wisdom 
God  created  a  mortal  body  to  house  man's  magnificent 
immortal  spirit. 

Then  God  said  of  Adam,  "It  is  not  good  that  the 
man   should  be  alone."    (Gen.   2:18.)      So   a  female 


tabernacle  was  prepared  for  the  great  woman  who  had 
been  chosen  to  be  the  wife  of  Adam.  It  is  interesting 
that  women  were  created  with  more  physical  beauty 
than  men.  They  also  have  gentler  dispositions.  They 
are  more  loving  and  spiritual  in  their  natures.  They 
were  prepared  to  be  the  mothers  of  that  great  con- 
course of  spirits  who  are  awaiting  the  privileges  of 
mortality.  In  the  antemortal  existence  Adam  was 
known  as  Michael  the  archangel,  and  undoubtedly  Eve 
was  a  good  match  for  her  great  husband.  It  was  their 
antemortal  excellence  that  won  for  them  the  privilege 
of  being  the  progenitors  of  the  human  family. 

After  he  opened  their  eyes,  the  Lord  explained  to 
Adam  the  need  to  work  and  to  earn  his  bread  by  the 
sweat  of  his  brow.  The  divine  record  points  out  "that 
Eve  his  wife  did  labor  with  him."  The  sacred  record 
says  that  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  upon  Adam,  and  Adam 
and  Eve  were  given  many  revelations  from  God;  and 
Adam  blessed  God,  saying,  "because  of  my  transgres- 
sion my  eyes  are  opened,  and  in  this  life  I  shall  have 
joy,  and  again  in  the  flesh  I  shall  see  God."  And  the 
record  says  that  "Eve  .  .  .  heard  all  of  these  things,  and 
[she]  was  glad,  saying:  Were  it  not  for  our  transgres- 
sion we  never  should  have  had  seed,  and  never  should 
have  known  good  and  evil,  and  the  joy  of  our  redemp- 
tion, and  the  eternal  life  which  God  giveth  unto  all 
the  obedient."  And  Adam  and  Eve  made  known  to 
their  sons  and  daughters  the  great  truths  of  God.  ( See 
Moses  5:1,  9-12.)  They  must  also  have  taken  great 
delight  in  teaching  their  children.  When  Cain  was 
born,  Eve  was  delighted,  and  she  said,  "I  have  gotten 
a  man  from  the  Lord."  (Gen.  4:1.) 

Later  Abel  was  born,  and  for  over  nine  hundred 
years  it  was  the  responsibility  of  our  first  parents  to 
effectively  establish  the  human  race  upon  the  earth. 
They  also  knew  the  tragedy  of  having  some  of  their 
children  go  wrong.  What  a  shock  they  must  have 
received  when  Cain  killed  his  brother  and  brought 
a  dreadful  curse  upon  himself.  But  the  prophet  Daniel 
tells  of  the  time  when  Adam,  whom  he  called  the 
"ancient  of  days,"  or  the  oldest  man,  will  sit  to  judge 


12 


Improvement  Era 


his  people.  Then  Daniel  says  a  thousand  thousands 
will  minister  unto  him,  and  ten  thousand  times  ten 
thousand  will  stand  before  him.  (Dan.  7:9-14.)  Cer- 
tainly when  that  day  arrives,  our  faithful  mother,  Eve, 
will  be  there  by  his  side. 

There  is  another  Bible  woman  who  in  some  ways 
resembles  Eve.  Sarah  was  the  wife  of  Abraham,  and 
the  Lord  also  called  her  the  "mother  of  nations,"  and 
said  that  many  kings  would  be  among  her  posterity. 
She  and  her  husband  were  selected  to  leave  the  sinful 
society  of  their  homeland  to  help  God  establish  a 
great  new  nation  of  righteous  people.  Sarah  was  very- 
beautiful;  her  personality  qualities  and  great  character 
traits  still  shine  out  brightly  from  the  pages  of  sacred 
history.  She  was  intelligent,  patient,  and  charming. 
Apparently  she  was  happy  and  at  home  in  the  nomadic 
tent  life  that  she  and  Abraham  shared. 

Sarah  brought  forth  Isaac,  her  firstborn  son,  after 
she  was  90  years  old.  She  helped  to  pass  on  to  Isaac 
the  love  that  she  and  Abraham  had  always  had  for 
Jehovah.  Following  her  death,  Isaac  paid  his  mother 
the  supreme  compliment  of  those  days  in  leaving  her 
tent  unoccupied  until  Rebekah  entered  it  as  his  wife. 

Another  of  the  great  women  of  the  Bible  was 
Rachel  (meaning  serene  and  meek).  She  was  the 
wife  acquired  by  Jacob  after  14  years  of  toil.  But 
Rachel  was  also  barren.  God's  first  command  had  been 
to  "multiply,  and  replenish  the  earth"  (Gen.  1:28), 
and  this  natural  instinct  had  been  securely  planted 
in  Rachel's  heart.  Eventually,  on  the  verge  of  despair, 
Rachel  gave  out  an  anguished  cry:  "Give  me  children, 
or  else  I  die."  (Gen.  30:1.)  Finally  Rachel  gave  birth 
to  Joseph,  a  son  who  was  well  worth  waiting  for.  But 
the  mortal  life  of  this  wonderful  woman  came  to  an 
end  while  she  was  giving  birth  to  her  second  son, 
Benjamin. 

Rachel  must  have  been  beautiful  in  countenance, 
soft-spoken  in  manner,  and  loving  in  disposition.  And 
we  feel  that  Jacob's  love  for  her  will  live  throughout 
eternity.  The  stone  pillar  that  still  marks  her  burial 
place  outside  Bethlehem  also  recalls  to  our  minds  one 
of  history's  most  delightful  love  stories. 

Jochebed  was  the  mother  of  three  famous  children- 
Miriam,  Moses,  and  Aaron.  She  was  a  woman  of 
towering  faith  and  resourcefulness.  When  she  was 
faced  with  a  government  edict  to  destroy  her  newborn 
son  Moses,  she  made  him  a  boat  of  reeds,  lined  it  with 
pitch,  and  hid  him  among  the  bulrushes  of  the  river, 
where  Pharaoh's  daughter  found  him  when  she  came 
to  bathe.  Then  Moses'  faithful  sister,  Miriam,  ran 
to  the  princess  and  volunteered  the  services  of  his 
mother  as  the  nursemaid  and  teacher  of  her  future 
great  son. 


14 


Ruth  is  another  inspiring  woman  of  the  Bible.  She 
is  celebrated  primarily  for  her  loyalty  to  her  mother- 
in-law,  Naomi.  Naomi's  husband  and  two  sons  had 
died.  When  Naomi  was  left  alone,  she  decided  to 
return  to  her  old  home  in  Bethlehem.  However,  she 
reasoned  with  her  widowed  daughters-in-law  that  their 
best  interests  would  be  served  by  finding  new  hus- 
bands and  remaining  among  their  own  people  in  Moab. 
But  Ruth  loved  her  mother-in-law  and  wanted  to  be 
with  her.  She  shows  us,  at  its  best,  this  beautiful 
attachment  that  sometimes  exists  between  an  older 
and  a  younger  woman. 

Ruth  said  to  her  mother-in-law,  "Intreat  me  not  to 
leave  thee,  or  to  return  from  following  after  thee:  for 
whither  thou  goest,  I  will  go;  and  where  thou  lodgest, 
I  will  lodge:  thy  people  shall  be  my  people,  and  thy 
God  my  God: 

"Where  thou  diest,  will  I  die,  and  there  will  I  be 
buried:  the  Lord  do  so  to  me,  and  more  also,  if  ought 
but  death  part  thee  and  me."  ( Ruth  1: 16-17. ) 

So  Ruth  also  returned  to  Bethlehem,  where  she 
gleaned  in  the  wheat  fields  of  Boaz.  Then,  under  the 
expert  coaching  of  Naomi,  a  tender  romance  developed 
between  Ruth  and  Boaz,  who  later  became  the  great- 
grandparents  of  King  David. 

Another  of  the  noble  women  of  the  Bible  was  Han- 
nah, the  mother  of  the  great  Hebrew  prophet  Samuel. 
Hannah  is  an  example  of  dedication  to  God  that  has 
seldom,  if  ever,  been  exceeded.  Much  of  Hannah's 
time  was  spent  in  weeping  and  bitterness  of  spirit 
because  she  had  no  children.  She  offered  a  prayer 
in  the  temple  at  Shiloh,  in  which  she  vowed  that  if 
God  would  give  her  a  son,  she  would  dedicate  his  life 
to  divine  service.  God  granted  Hannah's  prayer,  and 
Hannah  kept  her  promise  to  God.  When  her  little 
boy  was  only  three  years  old,  the  courageous  Hannah 
took  him  to  the  temple  and  obediently  handed  him 
over  to  the  Lord.  He  began  his  priestly  duties  under 
the  direction  of  Eli,  and  eventually  Samuel  himself 
became  the  temple  priest  and  then  the  Lord's  prophet. 
One  of  Samuel's  great  privileges  was  to  anoint  David 
king  of  Israel. 

Then  we  have  Mary,  the  mother  of  Jesus.  It  is  inter- 
esting to  contemplate  the  kind  of  woman  Mary  must 
have  been,  to  have  been  chosen  by  God  to  be  the 
mother  of  this  particular  son.  She  was  pure  in  heart 
and  beautiful  in  character.  She  made  a  full  commit- 
ment of  her  life  to  God,  and  she  was  given  the  great- 
est role  that  any  woman  has  ever  been  called  upon 
to  play.  She  became  a  mother  when  she  was  very 
young  according  to  our  customs.  But  she  possessed 
supreme  humility,  limitless  devotion,  and  unquestion- 
ing obedience  to  God's  will. 


Improvement  Era 


In  confiding  to  her  cousin  Elizabeth  that  she  was  to 
be  the  mother  of  the  Son  of  God,  Mary  said,  "My  soul 
doth  magnify  the  Lord,  And  my  spirit  hath  rejoiced 
in  God,  my  Saviour,  For  he  hath  regarded  the  low 
estate  of  his  handmaiden:  for,  behold,  from  henceforth 
all  generations  shall  call  me  blessed.  For  he  that  is 
mighty  hath  done  to  me  great  things;  and  holy  is  his 
name."  (Luke  1:46-49.) 

Undoubtedly,  Mary  shed  many  tears  of  joy  and 
gratitude  when  she  first  held  the  Christ  Child  to  her 
breast  in  Bethlehem.  She  must  have  shed  other  tears 
as  she  watched  him  develop  into  splendid  manhood. 
But  then  the  hostility  of  the  people  turned  upon  him, 
and  Mary  was  finally  left  to  wait  out  those  long,  sad 
hours  at  the  foot  of  the  cross.  But  even  in  his  death, 
she  was  highly  blessed  among  women. 

We  sometimes  see  a  positive  idea  more  clearly  by 
thinking  about  its  negative  side.  A  number  of  years 
ago  a  stimulating  Mother's  Day  story  was  written  by 
Lillieth  Schell,  titled  "The  Other  Woman."  It  is  a  part 
of  the  story  of  the  crucifixion.  It  pictures  the  agony 
and  suffering  that  took  place  upon  the  cross.  It  tells 
of  the  thirst,  the  parched  lips,  and  the  vinegar.  Then 
came  the  bitterness  of  that  last  outcry,  followed  by  the 
earthquake,  the  darkness,  and  the  dreadful  fear.  From 
the  cross,  Jesus  indicated  his  beloved  apostle  and  said 
to  his  mother,  "Woman,  behold  thy  son!"  To  John  he 
said,  "Behold  thy  mother!"  (See  John  19:26-27.) 

After  the  end  had  come,  John  took  Mary  and  Salome 
and  the  other  woman  to  his  home.  Later  that  night,  in 
the  midst  of  their  weeping,  a  knock  came  at  the  door. 
John  opened  it  and  saw  a  strange  woman  standing 
before  him.  He  said  to  her,  "Whom  seekest  thou?" 

The  strange  woman  hesitated  and  then  replied,  "The 


mother  of  him  who  was  crucified." 

John  said,  "She  is  within,  but  I  cannot  suffer  thee  to 
disturb  her  now." 

The  woman  said,  "Thou  must,"  and  she  pushed  by 
John  and  made  her  way  to  the  lighted  doorway,  be- 
yond which  sat  this  little  group  of  sorrowing  women. 
She  paused  momentarily  while  her  eyes  became  accus- 
tomed to  the  light.  Then,  after  identifying  the  woman  < 
she  sought,  she  made  her  way  to  Mary  and  said  to 
her,  "I  bring  thee  compassion." 

Mary  replied,  "I  give  thee  my  gratitude,  O  woman; 
whoever  thou  art,  I  give  thee  my  thanks." 

Then  the  other  woman  said,  "O  thou  happy  one!" 

Stirred  by  the  strangeness  of  these  words,  Mary,  the 
mother  of  Jesus,  lifted  her  tear-filled  eyes  and  looked 
sharply  into  the  face  of  the  stranger.  What  she  saw 
there  made  her  forget  the  bitterness  of  her  own  grief. 
"My  sister,"  she  said,  "rather  would  I  give  thee  com- 
passion. Thy  loss,  thy  sorrow,  how  great  it  must  be. 
Wilt  thou  tell  me  of  it?  Wilt  thou  tell  me  who  thou  art?" 

"My  name  is  Judith,"  answered  the  woman.  "I  am 
come  out  of  Kerioth  of  Judea." 

Mary  said,  "My  friend  canst  thou  not  tell  me  of  thy 
sorrow?  Perchance  I  might  help  thee.  I  will  gladly 
share  it  with  thee." 

"My  sorrow,"  said  Judith,  "is  such  that  thou  canst 
never  know."  Her  hand  stole  up  to  her  forehead  and 
brushed  aside  a  lock  of  iron  gray  hair.  Then,  clutching 
her  throat  as  if  to  relieve  the  terrible  choking  there, 
she  said,  in  a  shrill  whisper,  "I  am  the  mother  of 
Judas  Iscariot." 

I  close  with  an  honorable  mention  for  just  one  other 
great  woman,  and  that  is  our  own  mother.  May  God 
help  us  to  be  worthy  of  her.  o 


To  My  Daughter 
By  Virginia  Maughan  Kammeyer 

When  you  were  just  a  little  thing, 
I  held  you  close  and  hoped  eternal     • 
spring  might  be  your  day.   I  prayed 
that  on  your  way  flowers  might  bloom, 
and  birds  sing. 

You  grew,  and  my  greatest  wish 

for  you  was  summer,  friendship' s  warmth, 

and  everything  you  yearned  for  bearing 

blossom,  and  I  prayed  that  your 

young  footsteps  ahuays  might  be  turned 

to  goodly  paths  and  true. 


Now  you  are  seventeen — almost 

a  woman  grown — and  the  green  woods 

of  girlhood  soon  will  lie  behind. 

In  harvest  time,  my  darling,  may 

you  find  your  hands  hold  precious  fruit 

May  little  children  cluster  at 

your  knee,  and  sturdy  arms  about 

you,  like  a  tree,  sustain  you,  branch 

and  root. 

All  this  I  wish  for  you  and  one 
thing  more:  when  winter  comes  at  last 
to  touch  your  brow,  may  there  be  white 
content  and  peace  in  store.  May  you 
be  lovely  then  as  you  are  now. 


May  1969 


15 


n  .  I! 

wm m^t/ 

MIA  Confrontation 


By  Florence  S.  Jacobsen 

YWMIA   General  President 

Illustrated  by  Don  Young 


•  The  buzzer  on  my  desk  signaled  that  a  caller 
was  waiting  to  speak  to  me  by  telephone. 

My  caller  said  he  ivas  and  had  been  a  bishop 
for  13  years  in  a  ward  many  miles  from  Church 
headquarters;  he  ivas  at  the  airport,  just  passing 
through  Salt  Lake  City  on  business,  and  had  only 
a  feiv  minutes  before  flight  departure.  Suddenly 
I  was  listening  to  his  expressions  of  gratitude  for 
a  great  youth  program. 

He  wanted  me  to  know  how  the  youth  of  his 
ivard,  over  many  years,  had  been  kept  close  to 
the  Church  through  the  spiritualized  recreational, 
social,  and  cultural  lessons  and  activities,  and  how 
they  had  been  helped  to  set  and  reach  high  educa- 
tional, vocational,  and  spiritual  goals.  His  grati- 
tude was  unbounded  in  his  praise  of  his  ivard  MIA 
leaders,  who  made  it  a  practice  to  go  the  extra  mile 
for  each  individual  boy  and  girl:  "Nothing  is  too 
much  work  for  those  kids,  and  they  respond  as 
did  their  parents.  It  is  a  great  program,  and  I 
just  tvanted  you  to  knoiv."  I  thought:  I  get  the 
thanks  and  others  do  the  ivork.  How  grateful  I 
ivas  for  his  call. 


activities.  I  became  a  member  of  the  MIA  long 
before  I  joined  the  Church.  I  learned  the  gospel 
backwards — I  learned  the  program  standards  and 
policies  by  example  and  through  association  long 
before  I  knew  the  doctrine  and  the  why  and  the 
how  part  of  the  Church.  Now  I've  been  married  in 
the  temple."  I  added,  "and  working  in  MIA." 
"Yes,"  she  said.  "I  want  to  work  with  the  youth 
and  help  them  as  I  was  helped.  To  me,  it  is  the 
most  wonderful  program  in  the  whole  world." 


a 


m^WfM 


They  ivere  a  smiling,  hand-holding  young  couple, 
who  stopped  and  spoke  to  me  in  the  hall  on  my  way 
to  a  meeting.  "Sister  Jacobsen,  ive  met  a  year  ago 
during  an  M  Man-Gleaner  exchange  iveekend,  and 
next  month  we  are  going  to  be  married  in  the 
temple.  Thank  you  for  having  such  a  program 
for  us.  We  live  hOO  miles  apart,  so  you  see,  with- 
out it  ive  likely  would  never  have  met!' 

Yes,  likely  they  would  never  have  met  in  an 
atmosphere  of  safe,  sane  activities  designed  espe- 
cially for  this  marriage-eligible  age  group.  I  smiled 
as  I  hurried  to  my  meeting,  wondering  if  they 
knew  it  ivas  planned  that  they  and  hundreds  of 
others  should  meet  tvithin  the  Church  program 
and  hopefully  fall  in  love  and  marry  in  the  temple. 


She  was  a  young,  newly  married  counselor  in 
the  YWMIA  presidency  in  a  stake  4,000  miles 
from  the  headquarters  of  the  Church.  Her  eyes 
sparkled  with  enthusiasm  as  she  clasped  my  hand 
with  both  of  hers  and  told  me  of  her  love  for  MIA. 
"Not  so  long  ago,  as  a  teenager,  a  friend  brought 
me  to  my  first  MIA.  It  was  fun,  friendly,  and 
exciting,  as  young  people  my  own  age  made  me 
feel  welcome  and  I  joined  in  their  lessons  and 


It  was  a  letter  in  the  daily  mail  that  held  my 
attention  as  I  read,  "The  Laurel  program  was  my 
benefactor.    The  values   and  teachings  I   gained 


Improvement  Era 


through  the  MIA  programs  helped  me  formulate 
my  way  of  life.  It  helped  me  set  high  goals,  and  to 
date  they  have  been  attained — a  college  degree,  a 
temple  marriage,  children,  and  continued  activity 
in  the  Church.  The  Lord  has  certainly  blessed  me 
and  my  family.  I'll  always  love  the  MIA  program." 


Hk     A 

Another  letter  was  also  awaiting  my  attention — 
with  an  MIA  Laureate  award  clipped  to  the  hand- 
ivritten  letter.  Surprised,  I  removed  the  award 
and  read:  "Dear  Sister  Jacobsen,  Enclosed  is  a 
scrap  of  paper  which  is  meaningless  to  me  except 
for  the  fact  that  it  can  stand  betiveen  me  and  the 
eternal  happiness  which  I  so  desire.  I  never 
should  have  accepted  this  aivard  in  the  first  place. 
I  was  wrong  and  very  weak  to  take  it  when  I  knew 
I  didn't  deserve  it.  All  the  other  aivards  that  are 
credited  to  me  I  earned  justly,  and  they  are  pasted 
proudly  in  my  treasures  of  truth  book.  I  never 
could  bring  myself  to  paste  this  in,  because  I  never 
felt  I  had  achieved  it. 

"Please,  if  there  is  any  record  in  the  Church 
records  of  my  having  earned  it,  I  woidd  like  it 
removed.  This  is  my  final  and  most  difficidt  step 
in  repenting  for  my  mistake.  This  may  all  seem 
small  and  unimportant  to  you,  but  since  that  time, 
I  have  become  much  stronger  in  my  convictions. 
I  have  found  the  man  whom  I  wish  to  marry.  He 
is  now  serving  on  a  mission  in  France.  When  he 
returns,  ive  hope  to  be  married  for  time  and  all 
eternity  in  the  temple  of  our  Lord.  The  time  is 
short,  but  I  must  be  ready.  Through  my  study  of 
the  scriptures  and  the  teachings  of  our  leaders,  I 
have  discovered  that  I  must  repent  of  all  my  sins 
to  become  worthy  of  the  blessings  I  desire. 

"This  isn't  a  well-written  letter,  as  it  shoidd  be. 
It  is  just  a  plea.  Please  help  me  repent  .  .  .  having 
accepted  this  aivard,  and  I  can  assure  you  that  if 

XA8 


this  girl  three  years  prior  to  the  date  of  her  letter. 
I  removed  her  record,  destroyed  it,  and  acknowl- 
edged her  letter,  commending  her  for  the  action 
she  had  taken.  The  laws  of  life  of  honesty  and 
repentance  are  an  integral  part  of  the  MIA  les- 
sons and  activities;  every  boy  and  girl  has  the 
opportunity  to  know  and  practice  them — some  just 
take  longer  than  others  to  practice  what  they 
know. 

i  it     :  ii  *&'*■ 


/  ever  receive  my  Golden  Gleaner  aivard,  it  will 
be  because  I  earned  it.  Sincerely.  .  .  ." 

I  had  my  secretary  bring  me  the  Laureate  award 
file  and  found  that  this  award  had  been  issued  to 


An  article  in  a  national  magazine,  written  by  a 
high  school  senior,  held  my  attention  as  I  read  his 
rebuttal  to  a  published  premise  that  premarital  sex 
experiences  are  the  only  natural  way  in  life.  Yes, 
it  was  a  young  Mormon,  a  high  school  senior,  who 
took  exception  to  the  premise  and  wrote : 

"To  say  that  the  sexual  process  is  a  mere  fact 
or  part  of  life  is  to  insult  it.  It  is  the  very  means 
by  which  human  beings  may  become  co-creators 
with  God.  It  is  the  law  upon  which  all  human  life 
is  predicated;  for  us  there  is  no  life  without 
obedience  to  this  law.  .  .  . 

"It  amazes  me  that  modern  intellectuals  seem  to 
see  no  release  from  sexual  tensions  or  channel  for 
sexual  energies  outside  of  the  bedroom.  We  need 
desperately  to  recapture  the  pioneer  American's 
capacity  for  good,  clean  fun.  .  .  . 

"Again  I  must  turn  to  the  way  of  life  which  has 
meant  so  much  to  me  in  order  to  provide  specific 
examples  of  what  activity  I  mean.  Our  church  has 
a  program  for  young  people  we  call  the  Mutual 
Improvement  Association.  A  partial  listing  of 
MIA  activities  (in  which  I  have  participated  at 
one  time  or  another)  includes  the  following:  1) 
athletics — basketball,  softball,  volleyball,  and 
swimming;  2)  music  training — talent  contests  and 
shows,  ample  solo  opportunities,  choral  and  instru- 
mental ensemble  groupings,  and  just  recreational 
group  singing;  3)  speech  and  drama  activities — 
road  shows,  plays,  skits,  extemporaneous  speaking, 
public  speaking,  and  debate;  4)  wholesome  recrea- 
tion— dancing,  picnics,  barbecues,  swimming 
parties,  outings,  hikes,  etc. ;  and  5)  preparation 
for  adulthood,  which  for  boys  includes  scouting 
and  exploring,  career  investigations,  discussion  of 
contemporary  problems  (including  the  frank  dis- 
cussion of  sexual  matters) ,  and  myriad  opportuni- 
ties for  leadership;  and  which  for  girls  includes 


May  1969 


17 


studies  of  nutrition,  cooking,  sewing,  housekeep- 
ing, child  care,  literature,  and  art.  The  program 
can  create  well-rounded  individuals ! 

"Of  course,  the  program  cannot  work  perfectly 
without  whole-hearted  participation  of  young 
people  or  without  dedicated,  patient,  talented  adult 
leadership — and  often  neither  prerequisite  is  com- 
pletely met.  Nevertheless  we  try,  and  we  have 
been  rewarded  with  one  of  the  lowest  divorce  rates 
(especially  for  temple  marriages)  and  highest 
percentages  of  really  happy  marriage  and  family 
relationships.  .  .  .  The  lasting  friendships,  social 
skills,  and  individual  talents  developed  in  MIA 
bless  a  teen-ager  far  more  than  could  a  life  of 
mere  'fun'  or  self-indulgence.  The  energies  and 
tensions  of  youth  are  as  thoroughly  dissipated 
through  MIA  activities  and  respectful,  companion- 
able dating  relationships  as  through  premarital 
sexual  relationships.  MIA  tends  to  place  sex  in 
perspective  by  providing  a  forum  for  and  en- 
couraging less-than-flippant  discussion  of  issues 
such  as  religious  standards,  personal  etiquette, 
political  leanings,  family  problems  and  awkward 
situations,  personal  finance — issues  vital  to  mari- 
tal life  which  are  too  often  clouded  by  the  bedroom. 
So  why  should  teen-agers  voluntarily  take  the  risks 
inherent  in  premarital  sex,  standing  to  gain  so 
little  and  lose  so  much?  Perhaps  the  world  could 
consider  our  way  before  it  plunges  down  the 
proverbial  'blind  alley.'  I  certainly  prefer  it." 
(Gregory  Spencer  Hill,  "Premarital  Sex — Never!" 
Phi  Delta  Kappan,  September  1968.) 

Youth  always  say  it  better  than  adults.  Thanks, 
Gregory,  for  your  firsthand  resume  of  MIA. 


4i^ 


W  , 


k/%  /  / 


A  mother  of  five  daughters  ivas  purchasing,  for 
the  fifth  time,  a  Golden  Gleaner  pin.  She  wanted 
everyone  to  know  that  all  of  her  daughters  had 
now  earned  this  award. 

I  looked  up  from  my  desk  as  I  heard  her  timidly 
say,  "Sister  Jacobsen,  are  you  too  busy  to  hear 
about  my  daughters?"  I'm  never  too  busy  to 
hear  about  girls. 

She  recounted  the  MIA  experiences  of  each  one, 
and  7ioiv  the  youngest  had  completed  her  Golden 
Gleaner  requirements.  When  she  finished  speak- 
ing, I  said,  "What  are  your  daughters  doing  now?" 
They  were  scattered  noiv,  but  each  one  ivas  mar- 


ried, had  children,  and  ivas  busy  in  the  Church. 
One  was  working  in  MIA,  one  in  the  Primary,  one 
in  Sunday  School,  two  in  the  Relief  Society.  When 
she  finished  speaking,  she  suddenly  realized  that 
only  one  daughter  ivas  working  in  MIA,  and  she 
added  in  embarrassment,  "The  MIA  sure  does 
train  them  to  do  everything  in  the  Church."  I 
knew  she  had  spoken  the  truth. 

MIA  is  designed  to  help  prepare  the  youth  for 
their  adult  roles — in  the  Church,  in  the  home,  and 
in  the  community 


A  dear  friend  who  had  served  in  a  bishopric 
with  my  husband  for  many  years  came  to  me  un- 
solicited and  confessed  that  he  had  never  really 
understood  the  MIA  girls'  sports  program  until 
two  of  his  seven  daughters  became  involved  in 
basketball  competition  in  his  ward,  stake,  and 
region.  He  was  a  member  of  a  stake  presidency 
when  he  said  to  me,  "Florence,  the  girls'  sports 
program  is  the  greatest  thing  I've  ever  seen.  My 
girls  love  it — and  how  they've  developed.  They're 
the  stars.  I  wouldn't  miss  a  game  for  anything." 
I  asked  him  how  the  budget  was  for  the  girls' 
sports  program  in  his  stake,  and  he  answered  with 
a  knowing  smile,  "Bigger  than  it  has  ever  been 
before." 


It  was  in  Perth,  Australia,  that  I  saw  four  girl 
basketball  teams,  each  dressed  in  lovely  different 
colors  but  in  identical  modest  tunic-type  sports 
attire,  made  by  the  girls  themselves.  The  teams 
played,  fun  and  good  sportsmanship  prevailed, 
and  the  spectators  laughed  and  cheered  every 
basket,  regardless  of  the  achieving  team.  At  the 
conclusion,  each  team  formed  a  big  arm-to-arm 
circle  in  the  center  of  the  floor  for  a  united  cheer. 
Their  little  director,  no  bigger  than  the  girls,  came 
over  to  speak  to  me.  She  wanted  me  to  know  how 
great  the  girls'  sports  and  camping  programs  are 
and  what  they  were  doing.  I  could  see  into  the 
future  as  she  spoke — girls  learning,  playing, 
camping,  and  praying  together,  associating  with 
boys  in  the  Church  who  are  doing  the  same  kinds 


Improvement  Era 


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1.  THE  IRON  TRAIL  TO  THE 
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Through  stories,  incidents  and  his- 
torical events  these  early  Church 
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the  same  strengths  and  weaknesses 
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MAY  ERA    t  969 


by  Lu  Jones  Waite 
Although  this  poignant  romance  is 
set  against  a  ranch  and  rodeo  back- 
ground, many  young  girls  and  boys 
will  readily  identify  with  the  problem 
of  the  heroine  who  must  choose  be- 
tween her  treasured  faith  and  the 
man  she  fervently  loves. 


A 


May  1969 


19 


of  things,  marrying  in  the  temple,  becoming  the 
leaders  in  the  organizations  of  the  Church,  raising 
their  families.  The  result:  increased  membership 
generation  after  generation  as  they  live  the  scrip- 
ture, "Be  thou  an  example." 


Judy  was  the  only  Mormon  girl  in  her  school  in 
her  small  community.  Present  at  branch  meetings 
on  Sunday  were  her  own  family,  several  young 
married  adults  with  young  children,  and  several 
older  couples  with  no  children.  When  her  family 
traveled  many  miles  to  district  conference  at  Har- 
risburg,  Pennsylvania,  four  times  a  year,  she  saw 
a  few  other  girls  her  own  age  during  the  noon 
hour  between  meetings.  It  was  at  district  con- 
ference that  Judy  and  her  family  heard  the 
announcement  that  a  girls'  camp  would  be  held 
that  summer  for  all  of  the  girls  in  the  New  York 
Stake  and  the  Eastern  States  and  New  England 
missions.  Judy  went,  shy,  unsure,  and  alone.  I 
saw  her  at  camp,  playing,  swimming,  boating, 
making  handicrafts,  helping  serve  meals,  listen- 
ing to  the  morning  spiritual  lesson,  singing — arm 
in  arm,  going  on  hikes,  on  her  knees  blowing  on  the 
dry  tinder  to  make  it  burn.  I  heard  her  bear  her 
testimony  of  the  divinity  of  The  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints.  I  saw  a  new  Judy — 
not  alone,  but  tearfully  bidding  her  newfound 
friends  good-bye,  all  armed  with  addresses  so  they 
could  correspond  until  time  for  camp  next  year. 

At  the  next  quarterly  district  conference,  Judy 
was  asked  to  speak.  With  confidence  she  related 
her  camping  experiences  and  then  said,  "I  didn't 
know  there  were  so  many  Mormon  girls  in  the 
whole  world  (one  hundred  and  thirty-five),  and 
they  are  my  friends.  I'm  not  alone  anymore.  Now 
it  will  be  easier  to  be  the  'different'  one  in  my 
school,  knowing  there  are  others  just  like  me  in 
other  schools  who  are  also  'different'  and  proud  of 
it.  Thank  you  for  MIA — and  thank  you  for  camp." 


dressed,  as  she  entered  my  office  and,  at  my  re- 
quest, took  the  chair  on  the  other  side  of  my  desk. 

"Sister  Jacobsen,"  she  began,  and  suddenly  emo- 
tions and  tears  were  evident  in  that  lovely,  smiling 
face.  In  a  moment  she  regained  her  composure 
and  again  spoke.  "Sister  Jacobsen,  I  just  wanted 
to  come  and  tell  you  how  wonderful  the  MIA 
program  is,  and  how  much  it  has  meant  to  us  as 
a  family.  You  see,  we're  Army,  and  have  never 
been  in  one  place  long  enough  to  have  a  real 
home.  We've  lived  in  many  cities  in  many  coun- 
tries of  the  world,  but  no  matter  where  we  have 
gone,  MIA  has  gone  with  us  as  part  of  our  home 
life  for  our  four  daughters.  It  has  been  their 
anchor  of  safety  among  constant  change.  Besides 
our  clothing  and  furniture  that  moved  with  us 
from  place  to  place,  MIA  has  been  the  only  other 
constancy  in  their  lives  as  they  have  changed 
schools  and  made  new  friends  time  after  time. 
Wherever  we  have  been  sent,  we  have  always 
found  at  least  one  other  family  who  needed  and 
joined  our  MIA.  Sometimes  we  have  held  MIA 
in  our  home,  and  sometimes  we  have  lived  in  a 
small  branch. 

"Now,  after  many  years  of  traveling  in  the 
service  of  our  country,  my  husband  is  retiring, 
but  what  I  want  you  to  know  is — that  in  spite  of 
the  nomadic  life  we've  led,  our  four  daughters 
have  been  greatly  blessed  because  of  the  safety, 
spirituality,  and  the  security  of  the  lessons  de- 
signed for  the  girls  of  the  Church  in  the  MIA 
program.  Do  you  know  how  practical,  how  won- 
derfully appropriate  these  lessons  are  for  girls  as 
they  develop  from  the  adolescent  12-year-olds  to 
mature  young  women,  prepared  to  take  upon 
themselves  the  role  and  responsibilities  of  wife, 
homemaker,  and  mother  V 


I   noticed   that   she   was   a   beautiful   woman, 
immaculately    groomed,    modestly    and    smartly 


I  thought,  without  interrupting :  we  are  success- 
ful. This  is  what  generations  of  leaders  have  tried 
to  do — to  prepare  girls  through  spiritual  lessons, 
recreational,  cultural,  and  social  activities,  to  re- 
late the  principles  of  the  gospel  to  their  daily 
experiences,  bringing  girls  a  full  and  happy  life 
and  preparing  them  for  their  roles  as  women,  as 
wives,  and  as  mothers,  who  share  with  their  hus- 
bands the  blessings  of  the  priesthood  of  God.  -► 


Improvement  Era 


9 


AN  ENEMY  HATH 
DONE  THIS      " 

by  Ezra  Taft  Benson 

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work  by  Elder  Benson  is  a  compilation  of  his 
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uses  specific 
J  examples  to  show 
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3.  THE  MESSAGE  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  AND  COVENANTS 


by  John  A.  Widtsoe 
Here  is  a  previously  unpub 
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deceased  apostle  with  com- 
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by  Mark  E.  Petersen 

With  turmoil  and  conflict  growing  deeper 
throughout  the  world,  an  apostle 
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^       gives  us  an 

inspired  guide  to 
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dynamic  writer, 
Elder  Petersen 
forthrightly  points 
the  way  to  happi- 
ness thru  peace 
which  the  Master 
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My  visitor  continued:  "Our  eldest  daughter  ivas 
recently  married  in  the  temple  and  is  working  to 
become  a  Golden  Gleaner.  Our  two  middle  daugh- 
ters are  in  college.  They  both  have  their  feet  on 
the  ground.  We  are  secure  in  the  knowledge  that 
they  are  prepared  and  capable  of  making  their 
own  decisions,  having  been  taught  proper  values 
of  right  and  wrong.  We  thank  the  MIA  program 
for  helping  us,  as  parents,  give  them  the  necessary 
background  to  meet  the  problems  of  today's  world 
in  a  safe,  realistic  yet  spiritual  manner.  Our 
youngest  is  thrilled  to  be  a  member  of  a  real  class 
of  Laurel  girls  and  is  excited  about  having  girl 
and  boy  friends  and  dating.  I  just  wanted  you  to 
know  about  us  and  the  MIA,  and  thank  you  for 
this  wonderful  program  that  has  helped  us  with 
our  family." 


It  was  my  turn  for  tears.  As  I  emotionally  ac- 
cepted her  thanks,  I  mentally  thanked  my  Father 
in  heaven  for  the  Prophet,  Brigham  Young,  who, 
100  years  ago,  saw  the  need  for  the  girls  of  the 
Church  to  be  organized  into  a  society.  He  started 
the  organization  with  a  group  of  sisters,  his  own 
daughters,  on  that  November  evening  in  1869, 
when  he  spoke  to  them  and  said,  "I  have  long  had 
it  in  mind  to  organize  the  young  ladies  of  Zion 
into  an  association  so  that  they  might  assist  the 
older  members  of  the  Church,  their  fathers  and 
mothers,  in  propagating,  teaching,  and  practicing 
the  principles  I  have  been  so  long  teaching.  There 
is  need  for  the  young  daughters  of  Israel  to  get 
a  living  testimony  of  the  truth.  .  .  .  For  this  pur- 
pose, I  desire  to  establish  this  organization  and 
want  my  family  to  lead  out  in  the  great  work.  We 
are  about  to  organize  a  Retrenchment  Asso- 
ciation, which  I  want  you  all  to  join,  and  I  want 
you  to  vote  to  retrench  in  your  dress,  in  your 
tables,  in  your  speech.  .  .  .  Retrench  in  everything 
that  is  bad  and  worthless,  and  improve  in  every- 
thing that  is  good  and  beautiful." 

As  this  grateful  mother  left  my  office,  I  thought 


of  the  thousands  of  women  who,  as  MIA  leaders, 
have  influenced  hundreds  of  thousands  of  girls 
throughout  a  century  of  succeeding  generations. 
Changes  have  taken  place:  the  name,  from  the 
Young  Women's  Cooperative  Retrenchment  So- 
ciety, to  Young  Women's  Mutual  Improvement 
Association ;  the  motto,  from  "Improvement  is  our 
motto,  perfection  is  our  aim,"  to  "The  glory  of 
God  is  intelligence" ;  but  the  dedicated  leadership 
and  the  program  and  its  goals  for  girls  have  been 
constant. 


In  1875  there  was  a  question  as  to  whether  the 
waltz  was  a  proper  dance  for  the  youth,  and  in 
1965  there  was  a  question  as  to  whether  the  twist 
was  a  proper  dance.  The  leaders  of  the  youth  in 
each  generation  have  recognized  that  changes 
in  such  activities  are  normal,  but  regardless  of 
change,  good  taste  and  modesty  are  constant. 

It  has  been  a  century  of  vigilant  leadership  by 
great  women  who  -have  touched  hearts  and  lives 
and  homes  with  sentiment  and  love  and  goodness 
unmeasurable.  It  has  been  a  century  of  sacrifice 
in  terms  of  time  and  talent  and  loving  concern — 
the  hours  of  rehearsal,  the  special  programs  and 
favors,  the  letters  of  congratulation,  the  birthday 
cards,  the  painstaking  preparation  of  scenery,  and 
decorating  the  gym  to  look  like  a  ballroom — the 
illustrations,  the  posters — the  meetings,  the  phone 
calls,  the  traveling — but  all  this  is  not  really 
sacrifice  but  service. 


It  has  been  a  century  of  safety,  as  girls  have 
been  taught  within  the  shelter  of  MIA  the  knowl- 
edge of  right  and  wrong,  and  why  and  how  to  keep 
themselves  clean  and  virtuous.  Thousands  and 
thousands  of  girls  have  learned  and  laughed  and 
loved  and  been  better  able  to  realize  to  the  fullest 
their  potential  here  and  in  the  eternities  to  come 
as  daughters  of  God,  because  of  their  affiliation 
with  the  Young  Women's  Mutual  Improvement 
Association. 

May  the  second  century  be  even  more  glorious !  o 


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Without  the  wonderful  work  of  the  women, 
realize  that  the  Church  would  have  been 
a  failure. "--President  Heber  J.  Grant 


of  Women  in  the  Church  Today 


By  Belle  S.  Spafford 

Relief  Society  General  President 


•  From  the  vantage  point  of  the 
one  hundredth  anniversary  of  the 
founding  of  the  Young  Women's 
Mutual  Improvement  Association, 
those  who  guide  its  destinies  today 
must  look  back  with  unshakable 
conviction  that  only  through  divine 
inspiration  could  such  an  organiza- 
tion for  young  women  have  been 
established. 

There  must  be  a  deep  sense  of 
gratitude  for  the  great  women  lead- 
ers who  through  the  years  have 
presided  over  this  institution.  There 
must  be  a  thankful  recognition  for 
the  inspired  priesthood  direction 
that  has  been  continuously  avail- 
able to  the  organization;  there  must 
be  an  almost  overwhelming  sense  of 
joy  and  satisfaction  in  the  accom- 
plishments. 

Through  the  past  century  the 
YWMIA  has  touched  the  lives  of 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  young 
women,  holding  before  them  the 
ideals  of  the  Church,  influencing 
for  right  their  thinking,  shaping 
their  standards,  and  training  them 
in  a  mastery  of  their  conduct.  It 
has  developed  their  characters  and 
provided  opportunity  for  the  en- 
largement and  well-directed  exer- 
cise of  their  talents.  It  has  given 
them   abundant  and   varied  social 


experiences.  None  need  to  have 
remained  on  the  outside  looking  in 
because  of  lack  of  activities  for 
which  her  talents  .were  suited.  The 
YWMIA  has  been  a  potent  influ- 
ence in  bringing  young  women  of 
the  Church  to  maturity  in  thought 
and  action  and  helping  them 
acquire  strong  testimonies  of  the 
gospel  that  have  created  in  them  a 
desire  to  respond  to  the  wishes  and 
the  needs  of  the  Church,  as  defined 
by  Church  authorities. 

President  Heber  J.  Grant  gave 
this  impressive  promise  to  the 
YWMIA:       . 

"As  you  shall  inspire  the  young 
girls  with  the  love  of  God,  with  the 
love  of  home,  the  love  of  the  gospel 
of  Jesus  Christ,  with  a  desire  to 
seek  to  do  that  which  will  be  pleas- 
ing to  our  Heavenly  Father,  you 
will  grow  in  ability,  strength,  and 
in  the  power  of  God."  (Gospel 
Standards,  p.  151.) 

This  promise  has  truly  been 
fulfilled. 

Not  only  have  the  young  women 
of  the  Church  as  individuals  been 
fortunate  beneficiaries  of  the  work 
of  the  YWMIA,  but  immeasurable 
strength  has  accrued  to  the  Church 
itself  through  the  activities  of  this 
great  organization. 


Relief  Society,  designed  for  the 
mature  women  of  the  Church, 
recognizes  its  debt  of  gratitude  to 
the  YWMIA.  As  the  young  woman 
is  brought  by  the  natural  processes 
of  life  to  shift  her  interests  and 
activities  from  those  of  her  young 
womanhood  to  those  of  her  mature 
years,  she  naturally  seeks  avenues 
whereby  these  changing  interests 
and  needs  may  be  served.  Count- 
less thousands  of  young  women 
who  have  been  trained  by  the 
YWMIA  move  naturally  into  the 
program  of  Relief  Society  with 
purpose  and  dedication.  They  bring 
with  them  stability  of  character, 
developed  talents,  leadership  skills, 
and  a  devotion  to  the  Church  that 
become  a  bulwark  of  strength  to 
Relief  Society  in  meeting  the  re- 
sponsibilities assigned  to  it  as  a 
companion  organization  to  the 
priesthood. 

The  Latter-day  Saint  woman  has 
a  significant  role  in  the  affairs  of 
the  Church.  It  is  expected  of  her 
that  she  will  lend  her  full  strength, 
according  to  the  nature  of  woman, 
and  as  directed  by  priesthood  au- 
thority, to  the  building  of  God's 
kingdom  on  earth. 

The  Mormon  woman  actively 
participates    in    the    work    of    the 


May  1969 


25 


'Woman  is  part  of  a 
divinely  ordained 
division  of  labor. . ." 


Church.  She  serves  as  a  proselyting 
missionary;  she  inspires  sons  and 
daughters  to  do  likewise,  and,  in 
countless  instances,  she  provides 
the  necessary  financial  support.  She 
serves  in  the  auxiliaries  of  the 
Church.  She  renders  untold  hours 
of  compassionate  service  in  the 
name  of  the  Church  and  loyally 
supports  other  types  of  Church  wel- 
fare service.  She  devotes  herself  to 
genealogical  research  and  vicarious 
work  for  the  dead  in  the  temples 
of  the  Church.  Such  services  in- 
crease as  the  Church  grows. 

President  Heber  J.  Grant  gener- 
ously praised  the  women  when  he 
said:  "Without  the  wonderful  work 
of  the  women  I  realize  that  the 
Church  would  have  been  a  failure." 
(Ibid.,  p.  150.) 

From  the  beginning  days  of  the 
Church,  women  have  been  given 
voice  in  the  affairs  of  the  Church. 
They  have  voted  side  by  side  with 
men  on  all  questions  submitted  to 
the  Church  membership  for  vote. 
The  will  of  the  Lord  in  this  matter 
was  made  clear  in  a  revelation 
given  to  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith, 
Oliver  Cowdery,  and  John  Whit- 
mer  at  Harmony,  Pennsylvania, 
July  1830,  three  months  after  the 
Church  was  organized,  wherein  the 
Lord  said:  "And  all  things  shall  be 
done  by  common  consent  in  the 
church..  .."  (D&C26:2.) 

This  recognition  was  an  advanced 
\  conception  in  1830,  when  no  women 
had  political  franchise. 

It  was  the  desire  to  increase 
woman's  usefulness  to  the  Church 
that  led  the  sisters  of  Nauvoo  to 
approach  the  Prophet  and  seek  to 
be    organized.      They     had     been 


zealous  in  their  service  as  indi- 
viduals, but  they  felt  greatly  limited 
in  working  as  such.  It  must  have 
been  comforting  to  them  when 
Eliza  R.  Snow,  having  represented 
them  before  the  Prophet  in  their 
request  for  an  organization,  con- 
veyed to  them  these  meaningful- 
words  of  the  Prophet:  "Tell  the 
sisters  their  offering  is  accepted  of 
the  Lord.  ...  I  will  organize  them 
under  the  priesthood  after  a  pattern 
of  the  priesthood." 

With  the  growth  and  expansion 
of  the  Church,  the  contribution  of 
the  women  has  been  multiplied  a 
thousandfold  over  that  of  the  sisters 
of  Nauvoo.  As  we  contemplate  the 
blessings  enjoyed  by  Latter-day 
Saint  women  today— greater  per- 
haps than  those  enjoyed  by  any 
other  single  body  of  women— may 
we  not  feel  the  contribution  of  the 
women  of  this  day  is  accepted  of 
the  Lord? 

The  doctrines  of  the  Church  ac- 
cord to  women  a  position  of  dig- 
nity, respect,  and  responsibility  in 
God's  eternal  plan  for  his  children. 
The  gospel  teaches  that  salvation 
and  exaltation  in  the  Father's  king- 
dom are  for  all  of  the  honest  in 
heart  in  all  the  world,  men  and 
women  alike,  through  individual 
obedience  to  the  laws  and  ordi- 
nances instituted  by  the  Lord  upon 
which  these  blessings  are  predi- 
cated. 

While  the  priesthood  is  given 
only  to  men  in  the  Church,  its 
benefits  and  blessings  are  shared 
by  the  wives  and  every  member  of 
the  family.  Elder  John  A.  Widtsoe 
spoke  of  this  as  follows: 

"In  the  ordinances  of  the  Priest- 
hood man  and  woman  share  alike. 
The  temple  doors  are  open  to  every 
faithful  member  of  the  Church. 
And,  it  is  to  be  noted  that  the  high- 
est blessings  therein  available  are 
only  conferred  upon  a  man  and 
woman  .  .  .  jointly.  Neither  can 
receive  them  alone.    In  the  Church 


of  Christ  woman  is  not  an  adjunct 
to,  but  an  equal  partner  with  man." 
(Relief  Society  Magazine,  June- 
July  1943,  p.  373. ) 

Elder  Bruce  R.  McConkie,  in  dis- 
cussing the  doctrine  recorded  in 
Doctrine  and  Covenants  131:1-4, 
makes  this  significant  statement: 

".  .  .  he  [man]  cannot  attain  a 
fulness  of  joy  here  or  of  eternal 
reward  hereafter  alone.  Woman 
stands  at  his  side  a  joint-inheritor 
with  him  in  the  fulness  of  all  things. 
Exaltation  and  eternal  increase  is 
her  lot  as  well  as  his."  (Mormon 
Doctrine  [Salt  Lake  City:  Book- 
craft,  1966],  p.  844.) 

Among  the  great  doctrines  of  the 
Church,  none  is  perhaps  more  sub- 
lime or  more  comforting  to  women 
than  the  doctrine  of  the  eternity  of 
the  family  unit.  According  to  the 
late  President  J.  Reuben  Clark,  Jr., 
the  Latter-day  Saint  family,  in  a 
Latter-day  Saint  home,  has  three 
great  functions  to  perform: 

"First— it  must  bring  to  its  mem- 
bers such  lives  as  will  enable  them 
to  return  to  the  inner  circles  of  that 
celestial  home  from  which  they 
came— a  dwelling  with  the  Heav- 
enly Father  and  Mother  throughout 
eternities. 

"Second— it  must  so  carry  out  its 
duties,  rights,  and  functions  as  to 
enable  it,  in  turn,  to  found  a  celes- 
tial home  that  shall  in  some  eternity 
hereafter  be  equal  in  power,  oppor- 
tunity, and  dignity  with  the  celestial 
home  from  which  we  came  and  to 
which  we  shall  return. 

"Third— it  must  so  live  its  life  as 
to  provide  for  the  spirits  yet  wait- 
ing to  come  to  this  earth  for  their 
fleshly  tabernacles,  both  bodies  and 
minds  that  shall  be  healthy,  for  the 
spirits  coming  through  them  are  the 
choice  spirits,  which  have  earned 
the  right  by  their  lives  in  their  first 
estate,  to  come  for  their  second 
estate,  to  the  righteous  homes— to 
the  families  of  greatest  worth, 
promise,  and  opportunity;  and  this 


Improvement  Era 


family  must  provide  for  this  spirit 
which  it  invites  to  come  to  its 
hearthstone,  an  environment  that 
shall  meet  the  strictest  requirements 
of  righteousness."  (Relief  Society 
Magazine,  December  1940,  p.  808. ) 

As  we  contemplate  the  Latter- 
day  Saint  family,  we  are  impressed 
with  the  orderliness  of  its  organiza- 
tion.   President  Grant  has  told  us: 

"The  blessings  and  promises  that 
come  from  beginning  life  together, 
for  time  and  eternity,  in  a  temple 
of  the  Lord  cannot  be  obtained  in 
any  other  way  and  worthy  young 
Latter-day  Saint  men  and  women 
who  so  begin  life  together  find  that 
their  eternal  partnership  under  the 
everlasting  covenant  becomes  the 
foundation  upon  which  are  built 
peace,  happiness,  virtue,  love,  and 
all  of  the  other  eternal  verities  of 
life,  here  and  hereafter."  (The  Im- 
provement Era,  April  1936,  p.  199. ) 

The  man  is  by  divine  decree  the 
head  or  the  presiding  officer:  he  is 
the  family  provider.  Woman  is  his 
companion  and  helpmate;  she  is  the 
child  bearer  and  child  rearer.  In 
this  role,  woman  finds  not  only 
her  divine  mission,  but  also  her 
greatest  life-fulfillment.  This  di- 
vinely ordained  division  of  labor  for 
forming,  maintaining,  and  protect- 
ing the  family  unit  makes  one 
parent  no  less  important  than  the 
other;  and  -when  respected  in  their 
individual  roles,  they  lay  the  surest 
foundation  for  family  well-being. 

The  place  of  woman  in  the 
Church,  having  been  defined  by 
divine  decree,  does  not  change 
from  time  to  time.  It  remains  con- 
stant. It  is  the  same  today  as  yes- 
terday; it  will  be  the  same  tomor- 
row. As  woman  understands  her 
place  and  functions  as  God  intends, 
there  come  to  her  the  richest  pos- 
sible life  fulfillment  and  the  great- 
est eternal  rewards.  Blessed  above 
all  women  of  the  world  are  the 
women  of  the  Church  who  have 
this  knowledge.  o 


May   1969 


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_J 

27 


Illustrated  by  David  Thomas 


Louisa  Lulu  Greene  Richards: 
Woman  Journalist  of  the  Early  West 


By  Dr.  Leonard  J.  Arrington 

•  A  hundred  years  ago,  in  Smithfield,  Cache  County, 
Utah,  a  young  lady  of  20  was  busy  preparing  her 
editorial  and  feature  articles  for  the  weekly  ward 
Sunday  School  Gazette.  Sunday  School  newspapers 
were  common  in  Latter-day  Saint  communities  in  the 
1860's  and  1870's,  and  several  examples  of  them  are  in 
the  Church  Historian's  Library- Archives  in  Salt  Lake 
City.  They  were  handwritten,  two-column  papers,  usu- 
ally on  four  to  eight  sheets  of  legal-size  writing  paper. 
They  went  under  such  names  as  The  Young  La- 
dies Enterprize  (Honeyville,  Utah),  The  Young 
Ladies  Companion  (Bountiful,  Utah),  and  The  Knowl- 
edge Seeker  (Hyrum,  Utah).    Each  paper  carried  a 


Dr.  Leonard  J.  Arrington,  a  high  councilor  in  the  Utah 
State  University  Stake,  is  a  professor  of  economics  at 
Utah  State  University  and  a  well-known  author-historian 
on  Mormon  history. 


motto.  Examples  of  these  were:  "We  seek  the  truth," 
"Knowledge  is  power,"  and  "Remember  thy  Creator 
in  the  days  of  thy  youth." 

The  actual  preparation  of  the  manuscript  paper  was 
often  a  project  of  the  local  Young  Ladies'  Cooperative 
Retrenchment  Association,  founded  by  Brigham  Young 
and  Eliza  R.  Snow  in  1869,  which  eventually  grew  into 
what  is  now  the  Young  Women's  Mutual  Improvement 
Association. 

Most  of  the  writers  were  teenagers,  although  the 
ward  bishop  was  often  called  upon  to  contribute  a 
word  of  advice,  and  a  mother  occasionally  was  asked 
to  prepare  a  homiletic  story  of  the  triumph  of  good 
over  evil.  The  girls'  editorials  were  on  such  topics  as 
improvement,  fashion,  faith  in  God,  and  tale-bearing. 

Copies  were  distributed  every  Sunday  (or  every 
other  Sunday )  at  the  close  of  the  service  to  those  who 
had  paid  the  subscription  price  ( usual  terms :  "Attend 
Sabbath  School  and  pay  attention").    There  was  an 


Improvement  Era 


m& 


Portrait  of  Sister  Richards  is  by  her 
son,  Levi  Greene  Richards,  one  of 
the  Church's  first  painters  of  note. 


"An  epic  of  woman!  Not  in  all  the  ages  has  there 
been  like  unto  it.  Fuller  of  romance  than  works  of 
fiction  are  the  lives  of  the  Mormon  women.  So  strange 
and  thrilling  is  their  story— so  rare  in  its  elements  of 
experience— that  neither  history  nor  fable  affords  a 
perfect  example.  .  .  ."   So  wrote  Edward  W.  Tullidge 


in  1877  in  his  book  The  Women  of  Mormondom.  One 
of  the  many  extraordinary  women  of  the  empire - 
founding  period  was  Louisa  Lulu  Greene  Richards, 
who,  incidentally,  had  much  to  do  with  the  early 
development  of  the  YWMIA,  the  organization  this 
issue  of  the  Era  honors. 


attempt  at  artistic  design  in  the  sketch  of  the  mast- 
head and  in  the  illustrations  for  some  of  the  stories. 
Poetry  and  puzzles  were  sometimes  included,  as  were 
occasional  jokes,  wise  sayings,  and  the  music  of  the 
newly  composed  songs. 

The  "editress"  of  the  Smithfield  Gazette,  Louisa  Lulu 
Greene,  was  the  daughter  of  the  city  recorder,  and 
the  girls  of  the  Retrenchment  Association  often  met 
after  school  at  her  father's  office  to  prepare  their 
papers  for  the  next  Sunday.  With  a  good  sense  of 
timing,  Editor  Louisa  often  came  out  with  a  special 
issue  to  celebrate  the  wedding  anniversary  of  the 
oldest  couple  in  the  ward,  or  with  a  poem  of  praise  to 
a  young  man  who  had  just  accepted  a  call  to  go  on 
a  mission.  Sometimes  the  editorship  was  rotated 
among  the  girls  so  that  all  could  share  the  responsi- 
bilities and  joys  of  editorship. 

Louisa  Lulu  Greene  was  the  eighth  of  13  children 
born  to  Evan  M.  and  Susan  Kent  Greene.   Her  parents 


were  both  natives  of  New  York  who  had  joined  the 
Church  in  the  1830's  and  migrated  to  Kirtland,  Ohio. 
There  Evan  taught  an  English  grammar  class;  one  of 
his  students  was  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith.  Evan 
served  for  a  time  as  one  of  the  Prophet's  many  clerks. 
After  the  expulsion  from  Nauvoo  in  1846,  Evan  and 
Susan  migrated  to  Winter  Quarters  on  the  Missouri 
River,  where  he  served  as  postmaster  of  the  town  of 
Kanesville  and  as  recorder  and  treasurer  of  Potta- 
wattomie  County,  Iowa.  It  was  in  Kanesville  that 
Louisa  was  born,  on  April  8,  1849.  The  Greenes 
migrated  to  the  Salt  Lake  Valley  in  1852. 

Evan  Greene  taught  school  in  Provo,  where  he  also 
served  as  mayor  and  represented  Utah  County  in  the 
territorial  legislature.  In  1859  the  family  moved  to 
Grantsville,  Utah,  where  the  father  was  again  elected 
to  the  legislature  for  two  successive  terms,  represent- 
ing Tooele  County.  In  1864  Brother  and  Sister  Greene 
took  their  now  sizeable  family  to  Smithfield. 


May   1969 


29 


She  founded  the  Woman's 
Exponent,  today's 
Relief  Society  Magazine 


Being  a  natural  teacher,  Brother  Greene  conducted 
the  education  of  his  own  children,  ably  assisted  by 
some  of  the  older  children.  Louisa  learned  knitting 
and  spinning,  enjoyed  dancing,  sleighing,  and  theatri- 
cals, but  took  greatest  delight  in  teaching  her  younger 
brothers  and  the  children  of  the  neighborhood.  Her  love 
of  literature  was  evident  at  an  early  age  as  she  made 
up  stories  to  tell  the  children.  As  early  as  the  age  of 
14  she  was  composing  dramatic  dialogues  and  poems. 
While  studying  in  a  private  school  in  Salt  Lake  City 
in  1868-69,  she  contributed  poems  to  the  Salt  Lake 
Herald  and  became  noted  for  her  literary  abilities.  She 
returned  to  Smithfield  in  time  to  assume  the  editorship 
of  the  Sunday  Gazette  in  the  fall  of  1869. 

When  Louisa  was  released  in  1870  to  pursue  further 
training  at  the  University  of  Deseret  in  Salt  Lake  City, 
she  occasionally  sent  articles  by  mail  to  the  Gazette, 
but  she  felt  impressed  that  the  young  girls  in  the 
Church  should  have  their  own  magazine.  She  records 
that  the  idea  was  first  implanted  in  her  mind  by 
Edward  L.  Sloan,  editor  of  the  Salt  Lake  Herald,  who 
was  impressed  with  her  talent  and  competence,  and 
who  wrote  her,  promising  his  support.  Louisa  wrote 
Eliza  R.  Snow,  president  of  the  Relief  Society  of  the 
Church  and  a  relative,  asking  for  counsel.  Sister  Snow, 
always  eager  to  encourage  young  writers,  thought  the 
suggestion  an  excellent  one.  Indeed,  she  and  other 
officers  of  the  Relief  Societies  and  Retrenchment  Asso- 
ciations had  discussed  the  feasibility  of  a  woman's 
magazine  for  some  months.  She  wrote  to  Louisa 
that  she  would  broach  the  matter  to  President  Brig- 
ham  Young,  and  suggested  a  plan  of  finance.  Presi- 
dent Young  not  only  relayed  his  sanction,  but,  in 
Louisa's  words,  said  "he  would  gladly  appoint  me 
the  mission  and  bless  me  in  it."  Editor  Sloan  suggested 
the  name  of  the  magazine:  Woman's  Exponent. 

Louisa  had  only  one  reservation.  She  was  now 
( 1871 )  22  years  old— shouldn't  she  be  getting  married? 
She  wrote  again  to  Sister  Snow,  this  time  from  Smith- 
field,  to  which  she  had  returned  to  assume  the  presi- 
dency of  the  Retrenchment  Association  there.  Sister 
Snow  replied: 

"To  be  sure,  while  unmarried,  one  cannot  be  ful- 
filling the  requisition  of  maternity,  but  let  me  ask  'Is 
it  not  as  important  that  those  already  born  should  be 


cultivated  and  prepared  for  use  in  the  Kingdom  of  God 
as  that  others  should  be  born?'  If  left  to  me  to  decide, 
I  should  say  that  of  the  two,  the  cultivation  of  the 
[mind]  is  the  most  consequence.  How  many  mothers 
give  birth  to  children  who  themselves  are  altogether 
unqualified  to  perform  the  duties  of  mothers?  And  yet, 
for  Zion's  sake,  those  children  must  be  cultivated." 

Encouraged  by  this  advice  and  by-  numerous  prom- 
ises of  support,  Louisa  moved  to  Salt  Lake  City,  issued 
a  prospectus,  and  began  to  sell  subscriptions.  The 
first  issue  came  out  on  June  1,  1872.  At  the  time, 
Louisa  was  only  23.  That  the  Exponent  first  appeared 
on  Brigham  Young's  birthday  was  apparently  an  acci- 
dent, but  the  President  was  almost  certainly  pleased, 
for  he  was  a  great-uncle  of  Louisa.  One  of  the  Presi- 
dent's daughters,  "Susie"  Young,  was  a  frequent  con- 
tributor. 

The  Woman's  Exponent  was  published  "for  the 
benefit,  education  and  development  of  thought  of  all 
the  sisters  in  the  Church."  Its  first  and  all  subsequent 
issues  were  three-column  quarto  (10  by  13M  inches), 
eight  pages  in  length.  Each  number  included  poetry, 
fiction,  editorials,  sermons  by  Church  officials,  and 
news  briefs  from  home  and  abroad. 

Most  of  the  literary  selections  were  written  by  young 
Latter-day  Saint  girls  and  demonstrated  the  liveliness 
and  spontaneity  of  pioneer  Mormon  culture.  The 
Exponent  was  published  semimonthly,  and  sold  for 
$2.00  a  year. 

For  the  first  year,  at  least,  the  magazine  was  printed 
at  the  Herald  printing  office  and  profited  from  the 
advice  and  experience  of  Edward  Sloan.  The  Woman's 
Exponent  was  the  first  publication  owned  and  edited 
by  Latter-day  Saint  women.  It  was  also  the  first 
magazine  (with  one  fly-by-night  exception)  published 
by  and  for  women  west  of  the  Mississippi  River. 

Although  owned  and  published  by  active  Church 
members,  the  Exponent  was  not  an  official  publication 
of  the  Church,  nor  was  it  owned  or  controlled  by  the 
Relief  Society.  As  an  independent  magazine,  it  could 
make  mistakes  without  the  Church's  being  held  re- 
sponsible, and  the  reading  matter  was  suited  to  the 
tastes  and  moral  uplift  of  its  feminine  contributors  and 
readers.  The  first  issue  stated  the  intentions  of  the 
founders : 

"The  aim  of  this  journal  will  be  to  discuss  every 
subject  interesting  and  valuable  to  women.  It  will 
contain  a  brief  and  graphic  summary  of  current  news 
local  and  general,  household  hints,  educational  mat- 
ters, articles  on  health  and  dress,  correspondence, 
editorials  on  leading  topics  of  interest  suitable  to  its 
columns  and  miscellaneous  reading. 

"It  will  aim  to  defend  the  right,  inculcate  sound 


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principles,  and  disseminate  useful  knowledge." 

Thus,  while  it  was  an  advocate  of  Mormonism,  it  was 
an  independent  advocate  and  was  read  with  respect 
by  the  women  of  Europe  and  America  who  wished  to 
know  the  opinions  and  attitudes  of  Latter-day  Saint 
women.  A  motto  carried  on  the  masthead  for  many 
years  was:  "The  Rights  of  the  Women  of  Zion,  and  the 
Rights  of  the  Women  of  all  Nations."  While  inde- 
pendent, however,  it  was  supported  primarily  by  the 
Retrenchment  Associations  and  by  the  members  of  the 
Relief  Societies. 

During  her  five  years  as  editor  ( 1872-77 ) ,  Louisa 
Greene  had  married  Levi  W.  Richards  (1873),  had 
given  birth  to  two  daughters,  and  had  directed  some 
123  issues  of  the  Exponent.  Thus,  in  1877  she  wrote 
to  President  Young  asking  him  to  release  her.  Ap- 
pointed to  replace  her  was  Emmeline  B.  Wells,  who 
had  been  her  assistant  editor  since  December  1875. 
Sister  Wells  remained  editor  until  the  discontinuance 
of  the  magazine  in  1914. 

The  interesting  observation  is  that,  as  the  young 
women  who  directed  the  Exponent  grew  older,  their 
tastes  and  abilities  also  matured,  and  the  Exponent 
became  a  woman's  magazine  in  fact  as  well  as  in 
name.  It  was  exhibited  in  the  women's  hall  of  a 
world's  fair  held  at  The  Hague  in  1898,  and  created 
considerable  excitement  as  a  defender  of  plural  mar- 
riage. Above  all,  visitors  to  the  booth  were  impressed, 
somewhat  to  their  surprise,  with  the  culture  and  re- 
finement of  Mormon  women. 

As  the  Relief  Society  grew,  and  as  many  of  its  offi- 
cers had  been  or  were  on  the  staff  of  the  Exponent, 
it  seemed  logical  for  the  journal  to  be  converted  into 
an  official  organ  of  the  Relief  Society.  This  was  done 
in  1913,  when  the  Exponent  began  to  carry  the  cap- 
tion, "The  Organ  of  the  Latter-day  Saint  Women's 
Relief  Society."  The  next  step  was  to  change  the  name 
and  format.  The  last  issue  of  the  Exponent,  dated 
February  1914,  was  number  14  of  the  forty-first  vol- 
ume. Beginning  in  1914,  it  was  the  Relief  Society 
Bulletin,  which  was  followed  in  1915  by  the  Relief 
Society  Magazine.  The  latter  has  continued  to  this  day. 
The  first  editor  of  the  Relief  Society  Magazine  was 


Susa  Young  Gates  (who  had  been  the  founder  and 
first  editor  of  the  Young  Woman's  Journal). 

Louisa,  who  had  often  published  under  the  nom  de 
plume  "Lula,"  came  to  be  known  as  Lulu  Greene 
Richards.  Continuing  to  write  as  she  reared  her  family, 
she  published  in  the  Exponent,  Relief  Society  Maga- 
zine, Children's  Friend,  Era,  and  Young  Woman's  Jour- 
nal, and  conducted  a  department  of  the  Juvenile 
Instructor  under  the  heading  "Our  Little  Folks."  In  1904 
she  published  a  book  of  verse  entitled  Branches  That 
Run  Over  the  Wall.  The  following  year,  in  honor  of  the 
hundredth  anniversary  of  the  birth  of  the  Prophet 
Joseph  Smith,  the  Deseret  Sunday  School  Union  of- 
fered three  prizes  for  the  three  best  poems  on  the 
Prophet.  Sister  Richards  won  all  three  of  the  prizes! 
She  also  contributed  to  the  hymnbook  and  to  the 
Sunday  School  and  Primary  song  books. 

In  addition  to  her  literary  activities,  Sister  Richards 
bore  seven  children,  of  whom  three  daughters  died  in 
childhood  and  four  sons  grew  to  manhood.  The  eldest, 
Levi  ("Lee")  Greene  Richards,  became  one  of  the 
West's  most  creative  painters.  Another,  Willard,  partici- 
pated in  the  colonization  and  development  of  southern 
Alberta.  A  third,  Evan,  was  a  dentist,  while  Heber 
became  a  professor  of  English  at  the  University  of 
Utah. 

While  rearing  her  family  and  writing,  Sister  Rich- 
ards also  served  as  president  of  the  Young  Ladies' 
Mutual  Improvement  Association  of  the  20th  Ward 
in  Salt  Lake  City;  as  an  officer  of  the  Relief  Society 
of  that  ward;  as  a  member  of  the  general  board  of  the 
Primary  Association  of  the  Church;  and  as  member  of 
the  general  board  of  the  Deseret  Sunday  School  Union. 
She  was  an  officiator  in  the  Salt  Lake  Temple  from  the 
time  of  its  dedication  in  1893  until  1934.  She  repre- 
sented Utah  and  the  Church  in  various  women's  con- 
ventions, and  traveled  extensively  as  a  representative 
of  the  Church  to  meetings  of  women,  young  and  old, 
from  Canada  to  Mexico,  to  organize  and  inspire  the 
women's  auxiliaries.  She  died  in  Salt  Lake  City  in 
1944,  at  95  years  of  age. 

Few  Latter-day  Saints  have  excelled  Lulu  Greene 
Richards  in  influence  and  versatility.  o 


Tall  Story 
By  Maureen  Cannon 

"Stand  straight,  be  patient,  you'll  see  how 
Height's  lovely  when  you're  older." 
But  Sally's  prom  is  here  and  now, 
And  he  comes  to  her  shoidder! 


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the  sunshine  country! 


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full-maintenance  program  that  Casa  La 
Mesa  offers.  I've  never  been  happier  or  felt 
as  free,"  said  Mrs.  Webb. 

Casa  La  Mesa  priced  below  anything 
in  its  class.  5  plans  for  improved  living! 


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33 


The  PioneerWoman 


By  Dr.  Kenneth  and 

•  Uprooted  from  their  homes  with 
hardly  time  for  a  proper  good-bye, 
and  leaving  behind  much  that  was 
dear  to  them,  the  pioneer  women 
did  what  they  could  to  make  their 
rugged  wagons  home  to  their 
wandering  families. 

Most  of  their  conveniences  had 
been  left  in  New  York,  Ohio,  Mis- 
souri, or  Illinois.  Thus,  they  were 
faced  with  putting  to  full  use  all 
the  talents  and  skills  at  their  com- 
mand to  make  life  bearable.  They 
must  have  thought  of  the  women 


Audrey  Ann  Godfrey 

of  ancient  Israel  who  followed 
Moses,  and  those  who  went  with 
Lehi  into  the  wilderness.  This 
would  give  them  strength  and  re- 
new their  hope  that  with  the  help 
of  God,  they  too  would  find  their 
"promised  land,"  a  home  to  call 
their  own. 

"With  almost  their  entire  culinary 
material  limited  to  the  milk  of  their 
cows,  some  store  of  meal  or  flour, 
and  a  very  few  condiments,"  as  one 
writer  wrote,  they  learned  to  fash- 
ion a  meal  that  was  both  appetizing 


Improvement  Era 


7 


Before  leaving  camp 
each  morning, 

Mary  mixed  her  bread 
and  placed  it  in  the 
wagon  to  rise. 


and  healthful.  They  found  if  they 
hung  the  leftover  milk  and  cream 
on  the  side  of  the  wagon,  it  would 
turn  to  butter  as  the  wagon  jogged 
along.  They  acquired  the  skill  of 
working  with  yeast.  When  camp 
was  made  and  a  fire  laid  in  an  iron 
stove  or  an  oven  dug  in  the  side  of 
the  hill,  the  well-kneaded  loaf  was 
ready  for  baking.  Often  they  would 
find  an  oven  ready  for  their  use, 
left  by  those  who  had  gone  before. 
Mary  M.  Voght  Garn  crossed  the 
plains  with  seven  children.  She 
made  regular  yeast  and  thickened 
it  with  cornmeal  into  a  heavy 
dough.  She  would  shape  the  dough 
into  small  squares  and  place  these 
in  a  sjiaded  corner  of  the  wagon, 
knowing  that  the  sun  would  kill 
her  carefully  guarded  yeast  plants. 
When  new  yeast  was  needed,  a  new 
start  would  be  made  from  the  last 


square.  Before  leaving  camp  each 
morning,  Mary  mixed  her  bread 
and  placed  it  in  the  wagon  to  rise. 
As  she  traveled,  the  yeast  would  do 
its  work,  and  evening  would  find 
the  family  taking  its  meal  with 
freshly  baked  bread. 

But  food  was  not  always  plenti- 
ful. Hosea  Stout  recorded  in  his 
diary  on  June  20,  1846,  just  two 
short  months  away  from  Nauvoo, 
that  "hunger  began  to  grind  hard 
upon  us."  Stout  wrote:  ".  .  .  my 
wife  went  to  preparing  our  dinner 
which  might  properly  be  called  our 
'ultimatum.'  It  consisted  of  a  small 
portion  of  seed  beans  and  a  little 
bacon  boiled  and  made  into  soup. 
We  had  flour  enough  to  set  it  out 
and  in  fact  we  this  last  time  .  .  . 
seemed  [to  have]  a  more  luxurious 
and  sumptuous  table  than  usual 
which  made  to  a  stranger  an  ap- 
pearance of  plenty." 

That  night  two  men  took  their 
meal  with  the  Stouts,  never  dream- 
ing it  was  the  last  of  the  family's 
provisions.  Later  the  family  was 
reduced  to  eating  boiled  corn. 

As  the  wagons  came  into  buffalo 
country,  families  busily  engaged 
themselves  in  making  jerk  from  the 
freshly  killed  meat.  They  cut  the 
meat  into  long  strips  that  they 
dipped  in  a  boiling  solution  of 
brine.  It  was  then  hung  on  a  heavy 
cord  over  a  smudge  fire  for  the 
night.  The  next  morning  the  strings 
of  meat  were  looped  under  the 
wagon  bows  to  be  dried  in  the  sun. 

As  the  days  grew  into  weeks, 
the  women  of  the  wagon  trains 
knew  a  companionship  with  each 
other  that  was  very  close,  brought 
on  by  the  common  hardships  they 
suffered.  They  nursed  each  other 
through  cholera,  mountain  fever, 
and  childbirth.    Eliza  R.  Snow  re- 


Brother  and  Sister  Godfrey  are  members  of  the  Tempe  Sixth  Ward,  Tempe 
(Arizona)  Stake,  where  Brother  Godfrey  is  district  coordinator  of  Arizona 
and  New  Mexico  seminaries  and  institutes,  and  where  Sister  Godfrey  is 
mother,  teacher,  and  part-time  writer. 


corded  that  the  first  night  out  from 
Nauvoo,  nine  children  were  born. 

As  time  went  on,  women  gave 
birth  to  babies  under  every  circum- 
stance imaginable.  Sister  Snow 
wrote:  ".  .  .  some  in  tents,  others  in 
wagons,  in  rainstorms,  and  in  snow- 
storms. I  heard  of  one  birth  which 
occurred  under  the  rude  shelter  of 
a  hut,  the  sides  of  which  were 
formed  by  blankets  fastened  to 
poles  stuck  in  the  ground,  with  a 
bark  roof  through  which  the  rain 
was  dripping.  Kind  sisters  stood 
holding  dishes  to  catch  the  water 
as  it  fell,  thus  protecting  the  new- 
comer and  its  mother  from  a 
showerbath." 

In  many  cases  the  women  orga- 
nized, just  as  the  men  did,  in  order 
to  accomplish  the  goals  they  had 
set  for  themselves.  In  one  organiza- 
tion resolutions  were  drawn  up. 
such  as  those  noted  by  Louisa 
Barnes  Pratt  in  her  diary:  "Re- 
solved: that  when  the  brethren  call 
on  us  to  attend  prayers,  get  engaged 
in  conversation  and  forget  what 
they  called  us  for,  that  the  sisters 
retire  to  some  convenient  place, 
pray  by  themselves  and  go  about 
their  business."  Then  Louisa  adds, 
"If  the  men  wish  to  hold  control 
over  women,  let  them  be  on  the 
alert.    We  believe  in  equal  rights." 

Often,  after  children  were  tucked 
into  bed,  the  women  would  gather 
in  small  groups  and  enjoy  the  cool- 
ness and  quiet  of  the  evening. 
Louisa  wrote  that  "the  Platte  River 
country  was  beautiful."  The  women 
could  be  seen  strolling  along  the 
river  banks  in  the  moonlight  or 
enjoying  a  refreshing  bath  in  its 
waters.  "Our  hearts,  at  the  same 
time,  glowed  with  wonder  and  ad- 
miration at  the  beauty  and  sublim- 
ity of  the  scenery,  alone  in  a  great 
wilderness." 

Though  the  days  were  often  dull, 
there  were  other  times  when  the 
excitement  was .  almost  more  than 
these    prairie    women    needed,    as 


May  1969 


35 


Whether  they  made  soap 

from  ashes  or  paint 

from  skim  milk, 

ingenuity 

was  their  key 


Rachel  Lee  found  out  near  the  end 
of  her  journey.  As  she  walked  be- 
side her  wagon,  delighting  in  the 
wind  that  cooled  her  a  little  as  she 
trudged  along,  an  unexpected  gust 
whipped  her  skirts  into  the  wagon 
wheel.  Historical  writer  Juanita 
Brooks  wrote  that  before  Rachel 
knew  it,  her  skirts  were  being 
"wrapped  around  and  around  the 
hub.  She  screamed  for  help  as  she 
tried  to  extricate  them,  but  in  an 
instant  they  were  drawn  so  tight 
that  she  could  only  grasp  two 
spokes  in  her  hands,  her  feet  be- 
tween two  others,  and  make  a  com- 
plete revolution  with  the  wheel." 

The  wagon  was  finally  stopped, 
and  Rachel  found  herself  almost 
right  side  up  but  still  tightly  bound 
to  the  wheel.  Everyone  gathered 
around,  trying  to  decide  how  to  get 
her  loose.  There  was  no  question 
of  cutting  her  clothing,  as  that 
would  mean  one  less  item  for  wear 
that  she  needed  badly. 

It  was  decided  they  would  un- 
hook her  skirt  and  unbutton  the 
petticoat,  and  by  carefully  slitting 
the  placket,  she  could  be  pulled 
free.  Her  shoes  were  unlaced.  Then 
as  one  woman  held  a  blanket  to 
protect  her  from  curious  eyes,  she 
was  plucked  from  skirt,  petticoats, 
and  shoes  "as  clean  as  though  they 
were  skinning  the  legs  of  a 
chicken."  Later  the  clothing  was 
easily  removed  from  the  wheel,  and 
in  the  privacy  of  her  wagon  Rachel 
shook  them  free  of  wrinkles  and 
put  them  on  again.  As  she  took  up 
her  walk  again,  she  kept  a  wary 
distance  from  the  wheels. 

After  being  spread  out  in  various 


places  during  the  day's  travel,  the 
families  especially  enjoyed  their 
evenings  together.  By  then  all  the 
out-workers— scouts,  ferrymen  or 
bridgemen,  roadmakers,  herdsmen 
or  haymakers— were  finished  and 
could  come  to  the  camp  to  rest.  As 
the  smoke  of  the  campfires  was 
silhouetted  against  the  pink  clouds 
of  sunset,  the  bells  of  the  cattle 
heralded  the  arrival  of  the  tired 
laborers.  Many  of  the  women  would 
go  out  to  meet  them.  Later,  with 
the  children  in  their  laps  or  seated 
about  them,  they  would  talk  over 
the  events  of  the  day. 

"But  every  day  closed  as  every 
day  began,  with  an  invocation  of 
the  Divine  favour;  without  which, 
indeed,  no  Mormon  seemed  to  dare 
to  lay  him  down  to  rest.  With  the 
first  shining  of  the  stars,  laughter 
and  loud  talking  hushed,  the  neigh- 
bor went  his  way,  you  heard  the 
last  hymn  sung,  and  then  the 
thousand-voiced  murmur  of  prayer 
was  heard,  like  babbling  water  fall- 
ing down  the  hills,"  wrote  Thomas 
L.  Kane. 

With  their  destination  reached, 
the  women  found  there  were  still 
mountains  to  be  climbed  in  the 
form  of  establishing  households  in 
the  wilds  of  the  Great  Basin.  M. 
Isabella  Home,  who  arrived  in  the 
valley  on  October  6,  1847,  told  of 
the  difficulties  she  and  other 
women  faced. 

"Mr.  Home  succeeded  in  build- 
ing two  small  log  rooms  that  season 
for  our  family,  which  consisted  of 
my  husband,  myself,  four  children, 
and  Brother  and  Sister  Robert 
Holmes,  whom  we  brought  with  us, 
and  when  we  moved  into  the  house 
there  were  neither  doors,  windows, 
nor  floors." 

She  tells  how  they  made  their 
furniture,  as  they  had  brought  with 
them  only  one  chair.  Holes  were 
made  in  the  logs  of  the  house;  in 
these  were  inserted  poles  that 
stretched    horizontally    and    were 


held  up  at  the  other  end  by  posts 
set  in  the  floor.  Rope  or  rawhide 
was  stretched  across  the  poles  to 
form  a  bed.  The  cupboards  were 
made  by  again  inserting  two  smaller 
poles  in  the  log  wall  and  laying  a 
packing  box  on  top  of  them.  Calico 
curtains  were  hung  across  the  front 
to  keep  out  the  dirt.  Stools  were 
made  for  seats,  and  boxes  were  used 
for  tables  until  lumber  to  build 
them  could  be  found. 

In  March  1848  a  severe  storm, 
which  lasted  ten  days,  saturated 
their  sod  roof,  and  the  rain  came 
inside.  Brother  Home  tacked  wagon 
covers  to  the  roof  and  the  foot  of 
the  bed  to  let  the  water  run  off  so 
they  could  sleep.  Oilcloth  was 
stretched  over  the  table.  As  they 
cooked  or  did  housework,  they  wore 
wraps  and  carried  umbrellas.  After 
the  rain  had  stopped,  it  still  con- 
tinued to  rain  inside  for  quite  some 
time. 

Then  came  the  snakes  and  mice. 
The  snakes  were  soon  frightened 
away  or  killed.  But  the  mice  were 
more  evasive.  They  turned  up  in 
trunks,  beds,  and  even  coat  sleeves. 
A  trap  was  invented  that  consisted 
of  a  whittled,  round  piece  of  wood 
laid  over  a  pail  with  water  in  it. 
.The  middle  of  the  stick  was  flat, 
and  grease  was  put  on  the  edges. 
When  the  mouse  ran  out  to  get 
the  grease,  the  wood  turned,  tip- 
ping the  mouse  into  the  water. 
After  Sister  Haight  supplied  her 
neighbors  with  kittens,  the  supply 
of  mice  was  greatly  diminished. 

Since  their  cattle  had  been 
worked  down,  their  meat  was  very 
poor,  so  tough  it  had  to  be  boiled 
all  day.  There  were  no  vegetables 
except  for  a  few  sego  lilies  and 
parsnips  that  the  children  dug. 
Isabella  says  that  the  segoes  were 
quite  good  when  freshly  cooked, 
but  became  thick  and  ropy  as  they 
cooled. 

Sister  Leonora  Taylor  owned  the 
only  sieve  in  the  valley.    She  had 


Improvement  Era 


brought  a  piece  of  bolting  cloth 
with  her  that  she  attached  to  a 
frame  made  for  her  by  one  of  the 
men.  It  was  borrowed  when  any 
of  the  sisters  wanted  to  make  white 
biscuits. 

The  women  helped  each  other  in 
additional  ways.  Isabella  heard  of 
a  neighbor  who  had  put  some  red 
lead  and  lamp  black  into  skim  milk 
and  painted  her  home.  She  bor- 
rowed the  remaining  "paint,"  and 
using  a  rag,  covered  her  doors  and 
frames. 

Setting  a  precedent  for  their 
modern  counterparts,  the  pioneer 
women  used  their  ingenuity  to 
fashion  the  tools  they  needed.  Cot- 
ton yarn  became  fish  nets.  Floured 
and  larded  rags  were  twisted  into 
crude  candles  to  light  the  homes. 
Ashes  became  soap.  Squash  and 
pumpkin  thickened  cornstalk  mo- 
lasses. 

The  first  year  was  a  busy  time, 
with  few  amusements.  But  the 
pioneers  felt  free  and  happy,  be- 
cause they  had  no  fear  of  mobs. 
They  planted  gardens  that  grew 
well  and  flowers  that  brightened 
their  rustic  surroundings.  The 
first  fruit  trees  took  root.  And  by 
the  second  year,  work  had  slowed 
enough  to  allow  time  for  socials, 
dancing  parties,  and  other  activities. 

It  had  been  a  long,  hard  journey 
from  Nauvoo,  but  now  the  rewards 
outweighed  the  labors.  Homes  were 
firmly  established  and  gardens  had 
been  harvested,  with  the  produce 
put  away  for  winter  consumption. 
There  were  free  hours  for  visiting 
beloved  friends.  The  pioneer 
women  once  more  settled  into  com- 
fortable routines  of  keeping  a  home 
and  making  life  beautiful  and 
happy  for  those  around  them.  The 
journey  had  helped  them  grow  in 
service,  in  faith,  in  love,  in  strength. 
These  attributes  would  continue  to 
assist  these  female  adventurers  in 
helping  to  build  the  kingdom  of 
God  on  earth.  o 


May  1969 


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37 


A 
Woman's 

Career 


By  Lorraine  Roberts 


/l/ustrated  by  Dick  Brown 


|  38 


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•  For  ten  years  I  have  been  counseling 
teenage  girls  in  their  vocational  in- 
quiries as  part  of  the  guidance  program 
for  ninth  grade  students.  Year  after 
year,  when  the  girls  are  asked  what 
type  of  career  they  plan  to  prepare  for, 
the  answer  received  is  usually,  "Oh!  I'm 
not  going  to  prepare  for  a  vocation. 
I'm  going  to  be  a  housewife." 

Many  teenagers  do  not  realize  how 
many  women  spend  time  working  out- 
side the  home.  In  addition,  almost  a 
third  of  all  mothers  with  children  of 
school  age  are  now  employed,  and  the 
percentage  of  women  workers  is  increas- 
ing each  year.  According  to  the  U.S.  De- 
partment of  Labor,  the  single  woman 
works  for  about  40  years.  This  includes 
about  one-tenth  of  all  women. 

"Even  married  women,  on  the  aver- 
age, can  count  on  rather  lengthy  work 
life  expectancies — about  30  years  for 
those  with  children,  and  about  25  years 
for  those  without  children,"  the  depart- 
ment has  reported. 

While  mothers  are  not  encouraged  to 
work  outside  the  home,  it  is  still  im- 
portant for  them  to  be  prepared  to 
earn  a  living  if  it  should  ever  become 
necessary  for  them  to  do  so.  It  is  esti- 
mated that   in  the   United   States   high 


school  girls  of  today  will  spend  an 
average  of  25  years  working.  Married 
women  who  do  not  have  children  usually 
spend  a  greater  part  of  their  time  work- 
ing than  do  women  with  children,  while 
women  who  remain  single  can  expect 
to  spend  as  many  years  earning  a  liveli- 
hood as  men  do — approximately  45 
years. 

Most  young  women  work  for  a  few 
years  before  they  marry.  Later,  for 
various  reasons,  they  may  return  to  the 
labor  force.  The  death  of  a  husband 
is  one  reason  some  women  return  to 
work.  Others  seek  employment*  be- 
cause their  husbands  become  disabled 
due  to  accidents  or  illnesses.  Some- 
times, when  her  family  has  grown  to 
young  adulthood,  a  mother  will  be 
happy  if  she  can  work  for  a  while  to 
help  support  Johnny  on  a  mission  or  to 
help  Dick  with  his  college  expenses. 
Occasionally  a  broken  home  necessi- 
tates a  woman's  return  to  the  vocational 
fields. 

These  are  a  few  of  the  reasons  why 
every  girl  should  prepare  herself  for 
some  kind  of  work  outside  the  home. 

A  majority  of  the  girls  I  interview 
state  preference  for  professional  occu- 
pations, such  as  medicine,  law,  or  social 


•4    s3ft?yt~.«r  ..  *    =  ■  *i_/V~ 


work.  These  vocational  objectives 
sound  good,  but  they  are  unrealistic 
for  about  97  percent  of  these  girls. 
because  only  about  three  percent  of 
the  population  will  be  engaged  in  pro- 
fessional fields. 

Some  girls  note  that  they  would  like 
to  be  airline  stewardesses,  stenog- 
raphers or  typists,  or  beauticians.  Of 
these  three  vocations,  the  stenographic 
position  is  probably  the  most  realistic 
choice  from  the  standpoint  of  supply 
and  demand. 

Few  girls  express  an  interest  in  the 
semiprofessional  or  technical  occupa- 
tions, such  as  those  of  X-ray  techni- 
cians, medical  technicians,  laboratory 
assistants.  This  area  certainly  needs 
to  be  stressed  as  one  that  will  offer 
fine  opportunities  to  those  who  obtain 
necessary  training. 

In  the  next  decade  the  following 
trends  are  expected: 

The  clerical  field  will  probably  re- 
main the  area  offering  the  greatest 
number  of  positions  for  women.  Women 
hold  two-thirds  of  all  clerical  jobs,  ac- 
cording to  one  government  survey. 

There  will  likely  be  an  increased 
demand  for  women  in  data  process- 
ing— as   key   punch   operators,   console 


operators,   and  programmers. 

The  professional  and  technical  posi- 
tions are  expected  to  be  the  most 
rapidly  growing  occupational  groups. 
"Between  1965  and  1975,  employment 
in  the  professional  and  technical  group 
is  expected  to  rise  by  nearly  40  percent 
— almost  twice  the  rate  for  total  em- 
ployment," according  to  the  Labor 
Department  report. 

"Job  opportunities  generally  will  in- 
crease fastest  in  occupations  requiring 
the  most  education  and  training,"  the 
report  concludes.  These  are  the  pro- 
fessional, technical,  and  kindred  work- 
ers. Likewise,  the  less  schooling  a 
person  has,  the  higher  the  rate  of  un- 
employment, since  jobs  for  unskilled 
workers  will  decline. 

Teachers  at  all  levels  of  education 
will  be  in  demand.  There  will  be  an 
increased  need  for  women  workers  in 
medical  and  health  services. 

Full-time  and  part-time  job  oppor- 
tunities will  be  available  for  women  in 
sales  work,  practical  nursing,  and  as 
counter  and  fountain  workers,  char- 
women, and  cleaners. 

However,  girls  should  actually  plan 
for  two  careers:  a  vocation  and  the 
career   of   homemaker.     The   career  of 


"Every  girl  should  prepare 
herself  for  some  kind  of  work. 


"The  career  of  homemaking 
demands  special  education  and 
basic  training. . ." 


homemaking  demands  special  educa- 
tion, basic  training,  and  experience.  Not 
only  should  the  homemaker  know  the 
art  of  food  preparation,  how  to  sew, 
the  techniques  of  child  care,  and  basic 
first  aid  and  home  nursing,  but  she 
must  also  be  a  loving  wife  who  can 
share  her  husband's  ups  and  downs 
with  understanding  and  affection.  She 
must  know  how  to  kiss  away  the  tears 
that  invade  the  little  tots'  eyes,  and  she 
must  know  how  to  give  them  the  right 
amount  of  discipline  and  freedom  so 
they  might  be  happy,   secure  children. 

The  homemaker  must  be  able  to 
transmit  her  feelings  of  reverence  and 
her  knowledge  of  the  gospel  to  her 
children  so  they  may  possess  high 
moral  standards  and  be  active  partici- 
pants in  the  Church  as  they  grow  to 
adulthood.  She  must  know  how  to  help 
budget  the  family  income  in  such  a  way 
that  there  will  be  money  left  each 
month  for  savings.  She  must  know  how 
to  buy  for  greatest  value,  how  to  mend, 
repair,  and  redecorate.  She  must  know 
how  to  manage  her  time  so  well  that 
the  household  chores  are  consistently 
completed  and  there  is  still  time  left 
for  a  bit  of  visiting  with  neighbors. 

The  housewife  must  know  where, 
when,  how,  and  how  much  to  help 
children  with  their  schoolwork.  She 
must  be  patient  with  their  failures,  and 
lend  encouragement  and  an  interested 
ear  to  them.  She  must  also  possess 
the  ability  to  close  her  eyes  to  many 
of  the  daily  problems  that  could  cause 
her  to  be  negative  and  to  nag  at  her 
husband  and  family.  She  must  be 
aware  of  the  importance  of  putting  on 
a  freshly  laundered  house  dress  and 
applying  lipstick  to  smiling  lips  before 
her  husband  arrives  home  from  work. 

When  the  time  comes  that  she  re- 
turns to  employment  outside  the  home, 
she  will  find  that  running  the  house 
properly  and  maintaining  a  warm  home 
situation  have  been  excellent  job 
preparation.  Teenagers  need  to  know 
that  they  will  only  be  as  successful 
tomorrow  as  they  are  ambitious  today 
in  preparing  for  their  future.  o 


Improvement  Era 


Proudly  Celebrating 

our  100th  gear... 


..A.-VuiV/ 


iiiillll 


This  is  the  big  year  —  our  centennial  year 
-  as  it  was  on  May  10,  1869  that  the 
historic  "Driving  of  the  Golden  Spike"  joined 
the  rails  of  Union  Pacific  with  the  Central 
Pacific  and  created  America's  first  transcon- 
tinental railroad  —  uniting  the  East  and 

the  West. 

We're  proud  of  the  part  we've  played  in  the 

"winning  of  the  West."  When  the  golden 

spike  finally  had  been  driven,  the  U.  P. 

consisted  of  a  single  line  from  Omaha, 

Nebraska  westward  just  a  little  more  than 

1,000  miles.  Today  the  U.  P.  operates 

in  thirteen  western  states,  and  every 

minute  of  every  day  dozens  of 

freight  trains  are  moving  over 


our  nearly  10,000  mile  system  —  hauling 
food  for  your  table,  furniture  for  your  home, 
automobiles  for  your  business  and  pleasure. 
You  name  it  —  we  probably  haul  it! 

Proud  of  the  past?  Yes!   But  more  important, 
we're  always  looking  to  the  future.  More 
than  just  a  railroad,  Union  Pacific  is  a  20th 
century  space-age  complex  of  electronics, 
communications,  mechanical  and  scientific 
devices.  A  hundred  years  ago  we  united 
America  by  rail.  But  what  have  we  done  for 
tomorrow?  We  have  developed  a  set  of 
sharp  new  tools  .  .  .  people,  plans, 
equipment  and  facilities  ...  to  work 
on  tomorrow's  transportation 
problems  today. 


UNION 

PACIFIC 

RAILROAD 


GOLDEN  SPIKE 


1869  M969 


CENTENNIAL 


UNION    PACIFIC 

Your  good  neighbor  who  is 
helping  to  build  the  West 


May  1969 


41 


Teaching 


Conducted  by  the 
Church  School  System 


By  Albert  L.  Payne 

Illustrated  by  Virginia  Sargent 


How  to  Teach  About 


•  The  young  man  in  the  flower 
shop  was  tall,  clean-cut,  and  defi- 
nitely masculine.  As  he  waited,  he 
shifted  from  one  foot  to  the  other; 
and  when  the  flowers  were  shown 
for  his  approval,  he  hesitated  as 
he  considered  what  should  be  writ- 
ten on  the  card.  The  clerk,  im- 
patient and  anxious  to  have  the 
matter  settled,  offered  several  sug- 
gestions: "With  love,"  "Lovingly," 
or  "Affectionately."  The  boy  quietly 
declined  each  suggestion,  and  at 
last  his  decision  was  made.  "Please 
write,  'Happy  Valentine,' "  he  said. 
A  capable  young  secretary  told 
her  employer  she  was  going  to  re- 
sign her  position  in  order  to  ac- 
company her  husband  to  live  on  a 
ranch.    Although  her  husband  had 


nearly  completed  his  education  for 
a  professional  life,  he  had  decided 
to  return  to  his  boyhood  dreams. 
When  asked  her  feelings  respecting 
this  development,  the  young  wife 
said  that  she  and  her  husband  had 
been  considering  this  change  for 
sometime,  and  she  had  decided  that 
whatever  would  make  her  husband 
happy,  wherever  it  would  be,  would 
also  make  her  happy. 

These  two  experiences  are  deep- 
ly revealing  of  the  attitudes  these 
young  people  had  about  other 
people,  and  one  may  well  con- 
template the  origin  of  such 
commendable  attitudes.  What  kind 
of  training  or  experience  prompted 
the  young  man  to  send  flowers  to 
a  girl  friend?  What  caused  the  wife 


to  think  her  happiness  depended  on 
the  happiness  of  her  husband?  And, 
more  importantly,  bow  can  adults 
influence  the  development  of  these 
attitudes? 

The  teachings  of  the  gospel  have 
helped  us  understand  the  eternal 
nature  and  worth  of  people,  but  as 
human  beings  we  have  not  always 
been  able  to  transfer  this  knowledge 
into  meaningful  attitudes  and  ac- 
tions. We  have  tried  various 
methods  of  teaching,  but  we  have 
learned  that  some  of  these  methods 
are  not  effective. 

Careless  drivers,  for  example, 
usually  do  not  become  careful,  con- 
siderate, and  defensive  even  though 
they  may  see  a  movie  depicting  the 
dangers  of  improper  driving.  Chas- 


Improvement  Era 


Womanhood 


Albert  L.  Payne,  an  editor  with  the  Seminaries  and  Institutes  Department  of 
the  Church  School  System,  is  a  member  of  the  Youth  Correlation  Committee 
and  a  former  member  of  the  general  board  of  the  YMMIA. 


tity  is  not  necessarily  the  product 
of  a  lecture  by  a  doctor  nor  even  of 
a  series  of  lessons  in  Sunday  School, 
seminary,  or  MIA.  Young  people 
may  not  catch  a  vision  of  any  ideal 
from  an  isolated  lesson  or  lessons. 
Attitudes  are  so  deep-seated  and 
interrelated  that  teaching  them  be- 
comes a  complicated  and  lengthy 
process. 

A  youth  who  thinks  of  giving 
flowers  to  a  girl  friend  is  likely  to  be 
considerate  and  thoughtful  of 
women  under  other  circumstances. 
One  may  also  safely  assume  that 
he  knows  that  women  feel  and 
think  differently  about  some  things 
than  he  does.  One  would  suspect 
that  he  is  the  kind  of  driver  who 
adheres  to  the  rules  of  the  road, 


the  kind  of  pedestrian  who  walks 
on  sidewalks  instead  of  lawns,  the 
kind  of  friend  who  is  courteous  and 
inoffensive  in  his  personal  rela- 
tionships with  people,  and  that  he 
did  not  learn  any  of  these  things  in 
single  lessons  or  experiences. 

One  might  also  conclude  that 
wives  who  are  considerate  of  the 
desires  and  feelings  of  their  hus- 
bands and  have  the  courage  and 
love  necessary  to  yield  their  plans 
learned  to  be  understanding  and 
considerate  of  the  feelings  of  other 
people  long  before  they  were 
married. 

How  can  adults  teach  ideals  and 
attitudes  that  will  result  in  superior 
behavior  by  young  men  and  young 
women  with  respect  to  the  ideals  of 


womanhood?  First,  one  must  relate 
this  ideal  to  many  other  things; 
and  second,  one  must  provide  di- 
rect learning  experiences. 

Attitudes  about  womanhood  be- 
gin with  the  first  experiences  of 
life.  As  a  girl  grows  up,  she  finds 
it  easier  to  think  of  herself  as 
womanly  if  her  experiences  are 
feminine. 

Girls  who  can  knit,  crochet,  sew, 
arrange  flowers  and  furniture,  and 
who  dress  in  dainty  things;  girls 
who  know  the  refining  influence  of 
good  music  and  literature;  girls 
who  see  the  art  of  motherhood  ex- 
hibited in  their  homes—these  are 
the  girls  who  have,  in  all  proba- 
bility, grown  to  feel  feminine  and 
therefore    want    to     act    and    be 


May  1969 


43 


"...both  sexes  want  women  to  be  the 
personification  of  the  delicate,  beautiful, 
gentle,  loving,  and  spiritual  elements  of  life" 


treated  as  ladies.  When  girls  have 
been  made  conscious  of  beauty, 
harmony,  and  propriety,  and  see  the 
potential  of  incorporating  these 
qualities  in  their  own  lives,  they 
will,  for  example,  dress  in  clothing 
that  tends  to  be  beautiful,  modest, 
and  appropriate  rather  than  simply 
faddish.  Such  girls  gradually  be- 
gin to  feel  something  of  the  glory 
of  refined  womanhood. 

When  young  men  are  rough, 
thoughtless,  and  selfish— appar- 
ently thinking  the  world  owes  them 
something— one  may  be  led  to  be- 
lieve they  may  also  think  that 
women  arc  created  for  their  per- 
sonal pleasure.  Such  an  attitude 
cannot  be  changed  by  a  lesson  on 
womanhood.  A  boy  who  thinks  he 
is  the  center  of  a  universe  created 
to  please  and  serve  him  usually  has 
difficulty  imagining  that  he  should 
sacrifice  and  serve  other  people. 

A  boy  who  does  not  care  if  he 
hurts  or  offends  others  has  diffi- 
culty accepting  the  rules  of  eti- 
quette. A  boy  who  is  insensitive  to 
moral  values  has  difficulty  under- 
standing the  place  of  ideals  of  any 
sort  in  life.  If  boys  have  not  been 
taught  to  have  pride— in  themselves, 
in  the  appearance  of  their  homes 
and  yards,  in  the  care  of  their 
clothing,  and  in  the  impression  they 
make  on  others— they  will  be  less 
likely  to  respond  to  lessons  in- 
tended to  change  attitudes  about 
womanhood.  If,  therefore,  we  are 
to  teach  them  the  ideals  of  woman- 
hood, we  must  begin  by  teaching 
many  other  things. 

Teaching  this  ideal  is  not  easy. 
It  is  helpful  if  boys  have  already 
learned  to  take  pride  in  what  they 
do— pride    in    such    things    as    the 


way  they  mow  lawns,  pass  the 
sacrament,  do  schoolwork,  and 
participate  in  hobbies.  They  should 
also  have  learned  to  be  conscious 
of  their  appearance  and  the  impres- 
sion they  make,  genuinely  grateful 
for  things  they  receive,  and  con- 
siderate of  the  needs  and  wishes  of 
others.  In  other  words,  it  is  al- 
most impossible  to  teach  young 
men  about  the  ideals  of  womanhood 
if  they  are  weak  and  selfish  and 
have  not  already  learned  something 
of  obedience  to  standards,  con- 
sideration of  others,  and  the  place 
of  cultural  things  in  life. 

Young  men  and  women  must  ac- 
quire a  sense  of  their  own  worth 
and  the  worth  of  others,  and  they 
must  accept  a  high  and  noble 
purpose  in  life,  if  they  are  to  be 
receptive  to  teachings  about  the 
ideals  of  womanhood.  They  must 
learn  self -discipline  by  being  re- 
quired to  do  things  well,  and  to 
say  no  to  temptation.  They  must 
learn  something  of  the  worth  of 
people  through  giving  service  gra- 
ciously and  effectively.  They  must 
learn  about  self-respect  and  the 
feeling  of  personal  dignity  and  de- 
cency through  practicing  self-con- 
trol. These  things  together  form  a 
foundation  upon  which  teachers 
may  build  concepts  and  feelings 
about  womanhood  that  are  appro- 
priate and  meaningful  to  young 
•people. 

The  ideal  of  womanhood  is  based 
on  self-respect.  Since  it  is  an 
ideal,  we  can  find  only  imperfect 
examples;  but  it  is  believed  that 
both  sexes  want  women  to  be  the 
personification  of  delicate,  dainty, 
beautiful,  feminine,  gentle,  loving, 
and  spiritual  elements  of  life. 


Men  who  accept  this  kind  of  an 
ideal  do  not  stop  to  ponder  if  the 
girl  or  woman  approaching  the 
door  is  worthy:  they  open  the  door 
for  her  because  of  their  ideal.  And 
women  who  accept  this  kind  of 
ideal  and  try  to  live  in  harmony 
with  it  are  disappointed  when  men 
treat  them  as  if  there  were  no  dif- 
ferences between  them  and  the 
roles  each  is  meant  to  play. 

The  second  part  of  the  task  of 
teaching  the  ideal  of  womanhood 
is  to  provide  immediate  learning 
experiences.  These  may  be  through 
observation  or  action,  but  if  the 
experiences  are  to  be  effective,  they 
must  be  directly  applicable  to  the 
age  of  the  students. 

Young  people  need  to  have  mod- 
els that  they  can  see  and  hear.  If 
they  are  fortunate,  they  have  exam- 
ples at  home  and  have  already 
learned  that  womanhood  is  glorious 
and  worthy  of  respect.  If  home 
models  are  not  good,  young  people 
should  have  others  pointed  out  in 
the  ward  or  branch.  In  either  case, 
the  model  is  adult,  and  young 
people  will  need  to  learn  how  to 
adapt  what  they  observe  and  hear 
to  their  own  situation.  They  should 
also  be  given  an  opportunity  to  act 
out  this  ideal.  This  may  be  done 
at  the  time  of  teaching  lessons  on 
womanhood  or  on  such  social  graces 
as  courtesy,  propriety,  and  etiquette. 
During  and  as  a  part  of  these  les- 
sons, enough  role  playing  should 
take  place  to  give  a  feeling  of 
doing  things  graciously  and  proper- 
ly. Following  the  lessons,  there 
should  be  enough  review  to  en- 
courage application  in  the  students' 
lives. 

Finally,  young  people  should  not 
only  be  taught  the  ideal  of  woman- 
hood by  precept  and  example,  but 
they  should  also  be  made"  aware  of 
its  relationship  to  other  important 
values  in  their  lives.  They  should 
know  the  disadvantages  to  them, 
personally,  if  the  ideal  is  lost.        o 


44 


Improvement  Era 


The  Wurlitzer  Concert  Organ 

with  Penta-Sonic  System 

of  Tone  Generation 


The  Wurlitzer  Concert  Organ  represents  the  cul- 
mination of  more  than  half  a  century  of  experience 
in  organ  building  by  Wurlitzer  ...  an  electronic 
triumph  in  organ  tonal  design  by  any  standard  .  .  . 
and  Wurlitzer's  greatest  achievement  of  modern 
times.  A  totally  new  concept  with  five  separate 
tonal  sources,  eliminating  "borrowing"  and  "unifi- 
cation" of  voices,  the  Wurlitzer  4700  transcends 
anything  you  have  ever  heard  in  a  two-manual 
electronic  organ  ...  in  versatility,  authenticity, 
clarity,  and  in  its  classic  "pipe  organ"  sound. 
Immense  in  its  scope  of  enchanting  voices,  from 


the  softest  whisper  to  brilliant  full  ensemble,  the 
Wurlitzer  Concert  Organ  supports  all  segments  of 
the  worship  service  ...  as  a  solo  instrument  .  .  . 
accompaniment  for  choir,  congregation  or  wedding 
march  .  .  .  background  for  prayer.  The  resources  of 
the  Wurlitzer  4700  provide  a  quality  of  sound 
possible  only  on  organs  costing  thousands  more. 
In  playing  dimensions,  A.G.O.  specifications  are 
rigidly  adhered  to. 

For  more  details,  and  for  information  on  fund 
raising  plans  available,  simply  write  to  Wurlitzer, 
or  ask  your  Wurlitzer  dealer. 


WURLUZER  means  Music  to  millions 

pianos  •  organs  •  electronic  pianos  •  guitars  •  stereos  •  band  instruments 
DeKalb,  Illinois  60115 


May   1969 


45 


A  Happy 

Misunder- 
standing 


By  Georgia  Shiner 

Illustrated  by  Virginia  Sargent 


■.  ■'.'■  ■"  ■■  -m  ■".  ■■    ".  ■ 


•  When  he  came  in  from  looking  after  the  sheep  that 
morning,  his  wife  was  still  in  bed,  as  usual.  And  as 
usual  he  went  to  the  bottom  of  the  stairs  and,  with 
tired  pain  in  his  voice,  aimed  a  single  word  at  the 
bedroom  above. 

"Well?" 

Wardle  waited.  There  was  a  faint  rustling  above, 
but  no  answer  and  no  thump  of  feet  on  the  floor.  If 
things  were  normal,  Joan  would  at  least  give  him  a 
groan  of  reproach.  So  Wardle  knew  now  that  things 
were  not  normal.  She  was  still  enjoying  the  huff  of 
last  night's  quarrel  about  whether  her  cat  was  going 
to  be  allowed  to  bring  her  kittens  in  by  the  stove  or  not. 

He  had  won  that  quarrel.  The  cat  was  still  under 
the  porch.  But  he  would  have  to  get  his  own  break- 
fast as  one  of  the  costs  of  that  victory. 

As  Wardle  lit  the  fire  and  tried  to  find  the  oatmeal, 
he  began  to  wonder  what  great  virtue  in  him  made 
him  so  patient  with  this  woman. 

"Why  don't  I  know  when  I've  had  enough?"  he  asked 
himself.  "There's  just  so  much  a  person  can  take." 

Now  what  pleasure  was  there  in  store  for  this  day? 

Georgia  Shiner,  chorister  in  the  Leadore  Ward,  Lost  River 
(Idaho)  Stake,  reports  she  is  a  happy  mother  and  grand- 
mother,  and  lives  "on  a  ranch  some  distance  from  town." 


He  would  work  in  the  fields  all  morning  and  come  in 
to  a  meal  of  potatoes  with  their  skins  on  and  cold 
boiled  ham.  He  would  work  all  afternoon  in  the  fields 
and  come  to  a  supper  of  cold  potatoes  and  cold  meat 
loaf. 

And  all  the  time  the  house  would  look  as  if  it  were 
inhabited  by  seven  children  in  spite  of  their  having 
none  at  all  to  warm  the  cold  silence  of  the  place. 

It  had  been  going  on  like  this  far  too  long. 

"I  think  it's  time  to  do  something  about  it,"  Wardle 
said  to  himself.  "Yes,  I  think  it's  time." 

That  morning,  after  finally  getting  around  his  un- 
satisfactory breakfast,  Wardle  found  the  strange  weed. 
He  had  turned  the  cows  out  to  pasture  and  was  hard 
at  work  repairing  a  fragile  section  of  fence  when  he 
spotted  a  whole  army  of  the  weeds  almost  at  his  feet. 

It  was  a  weed  he  had  never  seen  before.  It  seemed 
to  grow  in  clumps,  and  at  the  top  of  each  stalk  was  a 
wrinkled  flower  of  a  rather  bright  yellow. 

He  pulled  out  a  clump  and  was  surprised  at  the 
hold  the  plant  had  on  the  soil.  Give  it  another  year 
or  two  and  it  might  be  spread  all  over  the  place,  he 
thought. 

Weeds,  like  women,  were  something  that  Wardle 
could  fret  about  for  hours  on  end.     It  was  this  certi- 


46 


Improvement  Era 


fied  seed  that  the  government  was  advising  them  to 
use  nowadays,  he  thought.  Nothing  ever  passed 
through  the  government's  hand  without  getting  some 
sort  of  contamination. 

He  decided  that  he  would  look  into  the  matter  of 
this  new  weed,  which  was  grabbing  so  vigorously  at 
his  cherished  acres. 

'Til  take  a  clump  of  this  to  the  men  down  at  the 
agricultural  office,"  he  said  to  himself.  "They're  getting 
paid  to  tell  me  what  to  do  about  things  like  this— 
getting  paid  out  of  my  taxes." 

A  few  minutes  later,  when  Wardle  went  back  to 
the  house  to  return  the  hammer  and  fencing  staples 
to  the  shop  in  the  woodshed5  he  took  the  weed  clump 
with  him.  In  the  house  he  wondered  how  he  could 
keep  it  fresh  until  he  had  a  chance  to  get  into  town. 

Joan  still  was  sleeping  off  her  huff,  so  he  went  back 
to  the  fields  again,  grumbling  at  the  work  he  had  to 
do  in  order  to  keep  such  a  woman  in  the  luxury  of  her 
indolence. 

At  noon,  when  Wardle  came  up  to  the  house,  he 
was  astounded  at  the  most  delightful  cooking  odors 
coming  through  the  screen  door. 

On  the  table  was  the  best  meal  he  had  seen  since 
Christmas.  And  among  other  delicacies,  the  ham  was 
steamed  hot  and  laced  with  raisins,  and  the  potatoes 
were  mashed  to  the  lightness  of  snow. 

What  was  more,  the  house  looked  as  though  a 
maid  had  set  it  in  order.  There  wasn't  a  thing  out  of 
place. 

Wardle  didn't  know  what  to  make  of  it.  He  looked 
at  his  wife  and  noticed  for  the  first  time  that  she  was 
neat  in  fresh  pink,  and  that  she  was  wearing  lipstick. 
"Are  we  expecting  company?"  Wardle  asked. 
Joan  smiled,  and  that  was  a  shock  too.  She  had 
laughed  at  him  plenty  of  late,  but  a  smile  was  some- 
thing he  could  hardly  remember.  "No,"  she  said. 
"It's  just  for  you." 

Wardle  sat  down  and  took  the  first  bite,  and  then 
decided  to  wait  for  his  wife  to  sit  down  too.  He 
smiled  a  little,  but  got  control  of  himself  quickly. 
There  was  just  one  reason  why  she  could  act  like  this, 
he  reasoned.  It  was  going  to  cost  him  money.  That 
smile  she  had  given  him  was  a  money  smile.  What 
else  could  it  possibly  be? 

But  Wardle  forced  himself  to  remain  decent  none- 
theless. There  was  no  use  spoiling  so  delightful  a 
dinner,  no  matter  what  dark  intrigue  lay  behind  it. 

There  had  been  a  time,  many  years  ago,  when  they 
used  to  play  the  little  game  of  making  up  after  a 
quarrel,  but  Wardle  could  only  vaguely  recall  the 
rules  of  that  game,  so  distant  it  was  now. 

He  waited  for  the  next  move,  but  the  dinner  ended 


with  a  fat  sigh  of  contentment,  and  Joan  had  nothing 
to  say.  No  demands.  Not  even  a  suggestion.  On  the 
contrary,  she  seemed  to  be  waiting  for  some  comment 
to  come  from  him. 

"It  was  a  good  dinner,"  Wardle  said.  "Just  shows 
what  you  can  do  if  you  try." 

She  smiled  at  him  for  the  second  time,  and  stood 
there  in  her  pink  dress  and  the  lipstick  as  if  there  were 
some  important  thing  left  undone.  It  gave  him  a 
most  uncomfortable  feeling. 

The  feeling  followed  him  out  to  the  barnyard,  and 
followed  him  and  his  tractor  out  to  the  field.  What 
in  the  world  was  she  up  to?  Had  she  been  reading 
one  of  these  new  psychology  books? 

At  3:30  his  tractor  choked  up  with  hay  fever  or  some- 
thing, and  Wardle  decided  to  call  it  a  day.  This  other 
thing  was  still  bothering  him,  anyway.  He  didn't  like 
something  he  couldn't  solve. 

He  thought  perhaps  he'd  leave  the  heat  of  the  dusty 
field  and  go  into  town  to  see  how  the  boys  at  the 
flour  mill  were  doing.  Oh,  yes,  and  he  could  take 
that  clump  of  weeds  into  the  agricultural  office.  He 
stopped  abruptly. 

Joan  was  coming  up  the  lane  with  a  little  pail  in 
her  hand.  When  she  got  close  enough,  he  could  see 
that  the  pail  was  sweating. 

"I  made  some  lemonade,"  she  said.  "You  must  be 
awfully  hot." 

Wardle  found  the  shade  of  a  cranberry  bush  and 
sat  down.  Such  a  surprise  had  a  remarkable  weaken- 
ing effect.  He  tried  to  grin,  but  his  throat  didn't 
function  right.  "Joan,"  he  said  at  last,  "what  is  this 
all  about?" 
Joan  sat  down  beside  him. 

"That  was  an  awful  sweet  way  to  try  to  make  up," 
she  said,  "putting  those  lovely  flowers  in  a  vase  for 
me.  Why,  Wardle,  you  haven't  done  a  thing  like  that 
for— well— for  ages." 

Wardle  tried  another  drink  of  lemonade;  it  didn't 
go  down  any  better  than  the  first  one.  But  it  didn't  mat- 
ter, because  she  suddenly  began  to  hug  him. 

That  was  embarrassing  too,  because  he  was  so  out 
of  practice,  and  besides,  he  was  afraid  some  of  the 
neighbors  might  see.  But  he  got  through  it  all  right, 
and  afterward  the  lemonade  went  down  very  well. 

It  was  quite  a  while  before  they  began  walking 
through  the  fields  together  toward  the  home.  And 
then,  suddenly,  as  if  it  were  rearing  its  sunny  face  in  a 
smile,  another  of  the  weeds  was  there  in  front  of  him. 
Wardle  guessed  he  never  would  know  what  strange 
name  it  bore  or  where  it  had  come  from.  But  he  knew 
he  had  identified  a  far  more  threatening  weed  in  him- 
self.  And  he  had  torn  it  out  by  the  roots.  o 


May  1969 


47 


lor  Genealogists 


This  summer,  August  5-8,  The  Genealogical  Society  of 
The  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints  will  host 
a  World  Conference  on  Records  at  the  Salt  Palace  in 
Salt  Lake  City.  This  will  be  the  most  comprehensive  and 
diversified  conference  on  archives,  records  management, 
records  preservation,  library  science,  genealogical  research 
and  other  related  fields  that  the  world  has  ever  seen. 
More  than  200  experts  from  all  over  the  world  will 
discuss  a  host  of  topics  in  more  than  180  seminars. 
New  approaches  and  techniques  of  records  storage  and 
accessibility  will  be  discussed  as  will  new  methods  of 
Genealogical  research.  Seminars  are  planned  on 'both 
the  amateur  and  professional  levels. 

PLAN  NOW  TO  ATTEND! 


PROGRAM 

Techniques  of  preserving  and  storing  all  types 
of  records;  emerging  technologies  for  the 
preservation  of  records;  miniaturization  of 
records;  storage  devices— their  potential  and 
reliability,  etc.  Genealogical  research  procedures 
will  be  discussed  in  the  following  areas: 
North  and  South  America,  the  British  Isles, 
Scandinavia,  Continental  Europe,  East  Asia,  South 
Asia,  South  Africa,  India,  the  Middle  East  and 
the  Pacific  Islands;  heraldry  and  its  relation 
to  genealogy;  the  function  of  genealogical 
societies,  hereditary  and  lineage  societies; 
the  function  of  family  organizations; 
how  to  publish  a  genealogy. 

A  CONFERENCE  SUCH  AS  THIS  MAY  NEVER 
BE  REPEATED. 


Clip  out  and  mail  this  coupon  today  for  your  registration.  -•--■/ 

Name 

Address 

City 

State  or  Country Zip  Code 

Full  Program                                                                         Registration  Before  July  1 
Includes  seminars  and  all  activities,  (except  banquet) $44.00 

Companion  (Husband  or  Wife) 

Includes  seminars  and  all  activities,  (except  banquet) $22.00 

Amount  Enclosed  $ 

iKfl^J!^^  ^m       i  ]   Check  ■'  y°u  w'sn  reservations  for  lodging  during  the 
a§TO&3B&m  conference. 

'■•-II  .i  wm03G/l>Y.      V 

8Flfeffi®r  ■     P-S-  If  you  wish  further  information  fill  out  name  and 
?AK;Yvl$£=bHl?  I  address  only  and  mail  to: 

*SLS(£ZC-fite^f      -i     World  Conference  on  Records  Registrar, 
^SjgggZ        -      P.O.  Box  11484 

Salt  Lake  City,  Utah  84111 

WORLD  CONFERENCE  ON  RECORDS  August  5-8, 1969 -Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 


48 


Improvement  Era 


Yester 


1869 


■ 


These  are  the  things 
A  young  girl  loves  .  .  . 


1969 


A  hat,  a  purse, 


/;  -  r, 


Cfff^k.x 


A  pair  of  gloves, 


A  scarf,  new  shoes, 


A    dress, 


A  book,  a  doll, 


An  iron  to  press. 


'***mnni  ""'f  •, 


*J**- 


>'    / 


-?-■■"-■■     ""7>;v 


May  1969 


etrao 

iTCTfiin 

Marion  D.  Hani 
Elaine  Cannon,  As 

<s,  Editor 
sociate  Editor 

•*vr\4 


sn  tr% 


Step  Right  Up  to  Happiness! 

Be  a  Special 
Kind  of  Girl 

By  Elaine  Cannon 

There  is  a  special  kind  of  girl  who  goes  where  the  action  is,  but 

only  if  the  action  is  the  right  kind.  .  . 

who  centers  the  happy  storm  about  her,  but  doesn't  stir  up  one. 

who  makes  a  mere  event  a  happening. 

who  isn't  content  with  contentment. 

who  doesn't  fight  the  inevitable  nor  ignore  opportunities. 


— but  who  joins  forces  with  time  and  fate  and  rises  to  every  occasion. 

This  special  kind  of  girl 

knows  that  the  way  she  moves,  the  way  she  speaks,  the  fragrance 

about  her,  and  the  good  things  she  does 

mark  the  difference  between  herself  and  the  girl  who   just 

doesn't  really  care  enough  about  being  a  girl. 


This  special  kind  of  girl 

makes  up  her  own  mind  after  careful,  prayerful  thought. 

She  sets  her  own  image. 

She's  tasteful,  individual,  exciting.   She's  WOW!    She  has  "pizazz." 

She's  worthwhile  and  a  breath  of  sweet  life. 

Step  right  up  to  happiness.  Take  the  first  step  now  to 

becoming  that  special  kind  of  girl. 


May  1969 


51 


Life's  Best 


•  It  is  the  crowning  accomplishment 
and  the  noblest  fulfillment  of  a  beauti- 
ful woman  to  be  the  wife,  mother,  home- 
maker,  heart  of  the  home  for  which, 
in  her  happiest  and  highest  dreams, 
she  longs.  If  in  the  course  of  experience 
this  doesn't  happen,  or  if  it  be  delayed, 
will  you,  while  you  wait  for  it  to  happen, 
be  bravely  on  the  way,  content  to  make 
the  best  of  life?  Will  you  yet  make  of 
life  a  sweet  and  wholesome  and  mean- 
ingful and  giving  thing?  Will  you  be 
preparing  not  only  for  what  you  hope 
might  happen  some  day  but  also  for 
what  happens  every  day? 

How  will  you  be  preparing  for  the 
highest  fulfillment  of  your  dreams?  How 
will  you  be  preparing  for  a  life  that  can 
be  all  that  a  good  life  ought  to  be,  if  it 
isn't  all  you  would  like  it  to  be?  How 
will  you  be  becoming  that  which  will 
most  graciously  and  appropriately  ful- 
fill the  happiest  hope  of  your  life? 

The  outline  is  simple: 

Loyalty  to  self,  whether  life  brings  us 
all  that  we  would  hope  or  less  than  we 
might  dream.  Stretch  your  mind.  Give 
it  a  daily  task  beyond  its  present 
strength. 

Loyalty  to  others — those  near  us  and 
beloved  of  us  and  those  beyond  the  near 
circle  of  our  immediate  family  and 
friends. 

Loyalty  to  life,  for  by  our  lives  we  can 
qualify  for  the  love  and  respect  of  those 
about  us. 

Loyalty  to  God:  responding  to  the 
highest  and  noblest  wishes  and  com- 
mands of  God  will  measure  consider- 
able of  our  enjoyment  and  our  contri- 
bution, o 


(Excerpts   from    a   talk    given    by    Elder   Marion    D. 

Hanks  in  the  Salt  Lake  Tabernacle  during  a  tribute 

to  Sister  Emma  Rae  Riggs  McKay) 


To  the  Girls 
Not  Yet  Married 

By  Jeane  Woolfenden 

•  It  is  good  to  be  a  part  of  life.  And  the  ones  with  the 
most  energy,  time,  daring,  ways,  and  means  are  the  young — 
especially  young  women — when  they  discover  partying  with 
peers,  folk  singing  by  guitar,  philosophizing  over  Milton,  cook- 
ing for  the  fellows,  playing  tennis  in  the  sun,  reading  Heming- 
way with  an  apple,  being  at  a  fireside,  or  listening  to 
Scheherazade  near  a  fireplace. 

But  there  is  a  certain  set  of  young  ladies  who  suffer 
attacks  of  "fright-itus,"  or  "insecure-nemia,"  or  "last-chance 
panicia,"  each  of  which  seriously  hampers  their  active,  creative 
lives.  It  occurs  mainly  in  girls  between  the  ages  of  20  and 
30.  It  can  be  seen  in  its  most  concentrated  form  in  college 
seniors  in  the  spring.  That  is  why  it  is  called  Senior  Panic. 
But  it  affects  any  girl  who  lowers  her  level  of  resistance  and 
succumbs  to  social  pressure  (self-imposed  or  otherwise). 

What  is  it  that  victimizes  hundreds  of  bright,  young,  lively 
girls?  It  is  the  creeping,  binding,  stifling  attitude  that  they 
are  worthless  because  they  are  not  married  and  have  no  imme- 
diate prospects.  I  know  girls  who  on  Friday  night  will  not 
even  take  the  garbage  out  for  fear  of  having  someone  see 
them  and  know  that  they  do  not  have  a  date  that  evening. 
These  girls  feel  fingers  pointing  their  way,  naming  them 
"Miss  Social  Reject  of  the  Month." 

This  type  of  girl  sees  gray  clouds  of  depression  and  foggy 
ditches  of  discouragement  in  her  path.  She  will  not  participate 
in  parties  or  outings,  supposing  that  her  prince  or  knight  or 
whatever  will  come  dashing  to  the  door  on  a  charger  and  whisk 
her  away  in  her  dowdy  grubbies  and  rollers.  She  plans  on 
"in  the  future,"  when  she  will  sew  a  new  summer  dress,  go 
hiking  with  friends,  attend  a  symphony  concert,  or  write  a 
short  story.  She  cannot  do  it  now,  because  she  dreams  that 
at  any  moment  the  phone  will  ring  and  at  the  other  end  will 
be  a  masculine  voice  saying,  "Are  you  too  busy  to  go  with 
me  to  the  temple  Friday?" 

Marriage  is  for  eternity.  Now  is  as  much  eternity  as 
marriage  will  be  in  the  future.  If  you  are  not  finding  happi- 
ness now,  can  you  expect  to  find  happiness  when  you  are 
married?    Now  is  the  time  to  create  happiness.  o 


52 


Era  of  Youth 


;■-::; 


p-'.f-  •  _ 


The  World  of  Women 


By  Nancy  Twitty 

Senior  at  Brigham  Young  University 


•  Is  it  a  woman's  world? 

That  age-old  question  has  been  the  subject  of 
many  good-natured  debates  throughout  the  world. 

Since  the  courageous  struggles  of  American  pio- 
neer women  and  crusading  marches  of  temperance 
leaders,  more  and  more  eyes  have  focused  on  the 
power  of  womanhood.  Great  women  of  past 
decades  from  countries  abroad  have  long  been 
lauded,  such  as  Polish  Nobel  prize  winner  Marie 
Curie,  and  Victorian  English  writers  Emily  and 
Charlotte  Bronte. 

But  today,  on  the  eve  of  a  new  decade,  the 
''woman's  world"  is  producing  some  greats  in 
everything  from  creative  housework  to  aero- 
nautics. 

Renowned  in  music  circles  is  Alicia  de  Larrocha, 
hailed  as  the  greatest  Spanish  pianist  in  our  gen- 
eration. Veronica  Tyler,  celebrated  American 
soprano,  has  won  numerous  successes,  including 
second  prize  in  the  Tchaikovsky  International 
Music  Competition  in  Moscow  in  1966  and  first 


place  in  the  vocal  division  of  the  Munich  Inter- 
national Competition  in  1963. 

Also  winning  national  plaudits,  Sister  Belle 
Spafford,  general  president  of  the  Relief  Society, 
has  been  named  president  of  National  Council  of 
Women. 

According  to  a  recent  study  completed  by  jour- 
nalist Marilyn  Mercer,  one-third  of  the  Ameri- 
can labor  force  are  women.  Seven  percent  of 
American  doctors  are  women,  and  ten  percent 
of  women  college  teachers  are  full  professors. 

More  than  ever  before,  young' people  are  con- 
tributing valuable  ideas  and  talents  to  the  world. 
New  on  the  political  front  and  active  in  com- 
munity affairs  are  the  daughters  of  President 
Richard  M.  Nixon,  Tricia,  22,  a  June  graduate  of 
Finch  College  in  New  York,  and  her  sister  Julia, 
20,  a  student  at  Smith  College  in  Massachusetts. 

Also  newcomers  in  national  news  are  Pamela 
Agnew,  25,  and  Susan  Agnew,  20,  daughters  of 
Vice-President  Spiro  Agnew. 


Many  young  Latter-day  Saint  women  are  standouts  in  leadership,  creativity,  grace,  beauty,  intellect. 

These  include  the  following : 


Scientist  Sharon  Hintze,  Provo,  Utah,  one  of 
24  United  States  college  students  chosen  to  receive 
the  Marshall  scholarship  given  by  the  British  gov- 
ernment, is  studying  for  a  master  of  science  degree 
at  a  university  in  Great  Britain. 

Actress  Heather  Young  plays  stewardess  Betty 
Hamilton  in  the  television  series  Land  of  the  Giants. 

Performer  Sandi  Griffiths  is  part  of  a  singing 
duo  with  the  Lawrence  Welk  Show. 

Carol  Lynn  Pearson,  Provo,  Utah,  is  the  author 
of  popular  poetry  book  Beginnings  and  nationally 
published  magazine  articles. 


Champion  speed  skaters  are  Jean  Ashworth, 
Olympic  bronze  medal  winner,  and  Barbara  Lock- 
hart,  a  U.S.  Olympic  representative. 

Singers  (and  sisters)  Kathie  Olson  and  Cheryln 
Olson  Hart  recently  won  first  place  prize  of  $1,000 
in  the  All-American  College  Show,  aired  on  na- 
tional television. 

Reigning  Mrs.  America,  Joan  Fisher,  wife  of 
M.  Byron  Fisher  of  Salt  Lake  City,  and  mother  of 
three  children,  claims  "most  girls  don't  realize  that 
housework  can  be  fun — if  they  use  a  little 
creativity!" 


54 


Era  of  Youth 


Campus  coed  Tracy  Anderson  from  Las  Vegas, 
Nevada,  a  junior  zoology  major  at  Arizona  State 
University,  was  recently  named  "Miss  National 
Cheerleader." 

Patty  McMaster  is  a  leader  in  church  as  well 
as  in  school.  In  Columbia  Falls,  Montana,  she 
has  been  named  "the  best  friend  a  teen  can  have" 
— this,  with  a  long  list  of  impressive  scholastic, 
campus,  and  church  involvements  and  honors. 

Zesty  Jamie  Conkling  and  Liza  Rey,  of  the  popu- 
lar King  Cousins,  appear  on  the  King  Family 
television  shows  regularly,  college  studies  per- 
mitting. 


Indian  queen  Rose  McCabe  from  Leupp,  Ari- 
zona, was  named  Miss  Navajo  1969  and,  as  official 
royal  representative  of  the  Navajo  tribe,  will  tour 
the  United  States  and  Europe  this  year. 

Kristine  Webb,  reigning  as  a  young  beauty 
queen  in  Lavaca,  Arkansas,  and  her  young  brother 
are  the  only  LDS  students  in  the  school  system 
there. 

Kim  Bradshaw  is  a  ballerina  with  the  New  York 
Ballet  Company  and  a  cover  girl  for  Seventeen 
magazine.  Her  friends  insist  she  is  lovely  to  know 
and  a  fine  example  of  what  an  all-around  girl 
ought  to  be.  o 


May  1969 


55 


Editors'  Note:  Patty  Jackson  is 
planning  a  spring  wedding  in  the  Salt 
Lake  Temple  with  Michael  Cannon, 
the   missionary    she  waited  for. 

Are  you  waiting  for  a  mis- 
sionary? Rather,  are  you 
writing  to  a  missionary? 
(Some    define    waiting    as 


'Vegetating  at  home.")  For 
our  purposes,  we  will  de- 
scribe a  waiting  girl  as 
one  who  sends  her  mission- 
ary three  or  more  letters  a 
month,  who  considers  him 
the  special  boy  she  has  dated, 
who  doesn't  become  too  seri- 


ous with  another  fellow,  and 
who  adheres  to  the  principles 
of  the  gospel.  Viewing  the 
waiting  experience  in  happy 
retrospect,  I  offer  ten  rea- 
sons why  every  girl  given 
the  opportunity  should  ac- 
cept the  challenge  of  waiting : 


M 


I 


S 


I 


O 


N 


A 


R 


issionaries  need  a  reliable  peer  with  whom  to  communicate 
and  keep  up  on  the  happenings  at  home. 


t  is  a  good  test  of  your  feelings  for  one  another. 


tatistics  say  you  won't  wait.    It's  worth  waiting  just  to 
throw  them  off! 


piritual  growth  awaits  you  when  you  share  his  experiences 
in  letters. 


f  you  keep  busy,  the  time  literally  flies. 


ne  reason  why  so  few  women  are  missionaries  might  be 
that  our  first  calling  is  to  stay  home  and  write  to  them ! 


either  of  you  will  change  unfavorably  if  you  make  use  of 
open  communication,  thoughtfulness,  and  prayer. 


ctivity  in  the  Church  becomes  more  meaningful  as  he 
opens  exciting  doors  to  the  gospel  for  you. 


omance  slides  to  the  background,  and  you  see  yourselves 
more  clearly  and  become  better  friends. 


ou  can't  lose  (unless  you  lock  yourself  in  a  closet  while 
he's  gone). 


Do  You 
Qualify 
for  the 

Heavy- 
Wait 
Award? 


By  Patty  Jackson 

To  elaborate  on  that  last 
point,  remember  that  life 
doesn't  go  away  with  your 
boyfriend.  It  may  seem  that 
way  at  first,  but  the  busier 
you  are  while  he's  away,  the 
happier  you'll  be.  Joining 
clubs,  cultivating  talents,  ac- 
cepting dates,  and — most  im- 
portant— growing  in  Church 
activity  are  surefire  ways  to 
stay  happy  during  and  after 
his  mission.  As  your  mission- 
ary develops  and  progresses, 
so  must  you. 

When  your  sergeant-at- 
arms-length  comes  home 
with  his  well-worn  dark 
suits,  white  shirts,  and  stan- 
dard works,  you're  in  for  a 
real  adventure !  If  your  com- 
munication has  been  sincere 
and  thoughtful,  and  if  you've 
made  the  Lord  a  third  party 
in  your  partnership,  the 
outcome  can  only  be  bright. 
The  worst  you  could  find 
is  renewal  of  a  friendship. 
The  best,  of  course,  would  be 
a  glorious  and  eternal  ex- 
pansion of  what  drew  you 
together  in  the  first  place. 


Reflections  in  the  Wind 
By  Karen  Slater 

Here  I  stand: 

The  girl  I  was,  the  person  I  am,  and  the  ivoman  I 

will  become, 
The  three  of  us  so  dependent  upon  the  other. 
The  girl  I  was — 

laughing,  carefree,  young  (life  was  a  game  I'd 

always  won!) , 

Afraid  of  nothing,  loving  everything,  trusting 

all. 
The  person  I  am — 

still  laughing,  not  quite  as  carefree,  still  young 

and  winning  at  the  game  of  life,  but  playing 

with  grown-up  rules.    Afraid  of  self,   loving 

many,  trusting  few,  but  happy  and  contented 

with  all.    Needing  nothing  but  time  to  grow, 

expand,   mature,   and  discover   the   hows   and 

whys  within  myself. 
The  ivoman  I  will  become — 

laughing,  purposeful,  young  in  heart,  having 

won  the  game  of  life  playing  with  God's  rules. 

Afraid  of  evil,  loving  all  that  is  good,  trusting 

in  the  Lord.   Full  of  the  joy  which  comes  from 

a  marriage  sealed  by  the  Holy  Spirit  of  Promise, 

and  blessed  with  loving  children  sent  from  God. 
How  can  the  three  of  us  emerge  as  an  innocent, 

humble  daughter  of  God? 
I  am  today  what  I  did  yesterday,  ajid  tomorrow 

I'll  be  what  I  did  today. 
How  many  days  of  procrastination  can  I  produce 

and  still  remain  innocent? 
How  many  times  can  I  ignore  another's  need  and 

still  remain  humble? 
Wake  up! 
Tomorrow's  silver  lining  can  only  be  seen  after 

the  tears  have  been  shed  and  the  cloud  of  sorrow 

is  turned  inside  out, 
The  tears  of  the  truly  penitent  soul — the  broken 

heart  laid  at  the  feet  of  Christ. 
Tomorrow's  silver  lining  is  only  for  the  brave, 

the  strong,  the  submissive,  the  meek,  the  loving, 

the  humble,  the  innocent. 
The  woman  I  will  become  is  dependent  upon  the 

person  I  am  now. 
How  unfair  that  her  salvatioyi  should  rest  upon 

one  so  proud,  so  vain,  so  frightened,  so  weak. 
Why  curse  her  for  my  mistakes? 
How  careful,  then,  I  must  be,  for  mine  is  not  the 

only  soul  I  must  save  from  future  grief. 
Hers  too,  and  the  girl  I  was — 
Three  of  us  dependent  upon  a  bending  willow  in 

the  wind. 
Here  I  stand: 
The  girl  I  was,  the  person  I  am,  and  the  ivoman 

I  will  become. 


57 


No  One  L 

By  Lois  Kjar 

.ikeYou 

Brown 

Your  skirts  are  too  short, 

He's  never  been  near  when 

Your  hair  is  too  long, 

You've  said  family  prayer; 

Your  mascara's  too  heavy, 

I  doubt  that  he  really  would 

Your  lipstick's  all  wrong! 

Very  much  care 

Your  room  is  a  mess 

To  hear  your  concern 

Of  mysterious  collections, 

As  you  seek  the  Lord's  aid 

And  you  fiercely  deny  us 

For  the  neighbor  who's  ailing, 

The  right  of  inspections. 

Or  with  plans  we  have  made. 

The  phone  is  your  link 

I  doubt  he'd  attach 

To  the  world  you  just  left; 

A  true  valuation 

When  you've  been  home  one  hour, 

To  the  growth  of  your  soul 

You're  completely  bereft 

As  you  showed  great  elation 

If  by  then  not  one  call 

Over  seeing  a  friend 

Has  come  in  on  that  thing, 

Win  the  prize  you  both  sought, 

And  your  ears  all  but  twitch 

With  no  tinge  of  envy 

Awaiting  its  ring. 

A  part  of  your  thought. 

Your  nerves  are  a- jitter, 

Would  he  know  how  we  feel 

Your  young  brother's  a  pest, 

When  we  get  as  our  pay, 

You're  sure  all  you  need 

For  a  dress  that  we've  labored  on 

Is  a  solid  week's  rest; 

Day  after  day, 

But  there's  pep  club  and  chorus, 

A  smile  and  a  hug 

Speech  contests  and  such, 

And  proud  exclamation, 

And  there  s  no  time  to  help  me 

"Gee,  thanks,  Mom!  You're  great! 

At  least  not  too  much. 

"My  favorite  relation!" 

An  efficiency  expert 

Perfection's  for  heaven, 

Should  tear  you  apart, 

So  while  we're  on  earth 

Refashion  and  streamline 

We're  willing  to  settle 

Head,  hand,  and  heart! 

For  just  what  it's  worth, 

Then  again — I  don't  know — 

For  the  wonderful  feeling 

Could  I  trust  him  to  see 

That's  shared  by  us  two 

What  there  is  about  you 

When  we  say  to  each  other, 

That  appeals  so  to  me? 

^There's  no  one  like  you!" 

Editor's   Note: 

These 

:    verses    have 

been  excerpted  from  a  tribute  writ- 
ten   to    daughters    by    the    wife    of 
Bishop  Victor  L.  Brown  of  the  Pre- 
siding Bishopric. 

58 


Era   of  Youth 


Something  Better? 

By  Jeanette  B.  Jarvis 

What  could  be  better  than  being  a  girl, 
All  sugar  and  spice  and  maybe  a  curl, 
Or  iron-straight  hair  and  an  eager  look; 
A  nibbler  now— a  potential  cook; 
Buried  in  studies  or  draped  on  the  phone, 
Surrounded  by  friends— or  completely  alone? 
What  is  more  fun  than  being  a  girl, 
Prettying  up  for  Joe,  Dick,  or  Verl? 
I'll  tell  you  what's  better 
(And  some  of  you  know)  — 
It's  being  that  lovely  girl's  mom. 


Editor's  Note:  And  Mom  ought 

to  know.  She  was  a  girl  herself 

once  upon  a  time! 


Eternity 

By  a  Soldier 


The  reader — thee 
The  poet — me 
The  subject — we 
The  critic — He. 

A  tennis-shoed  thee 
A  jungle-booted  me 
A  footloose  we 
A  guiding  He. 


BY  U— thee 
China  Sea — me 
A  faraway  we 
A  closer  He. 

Apartment  for  thee 
A  hooch  for  me 
A  house  for  we  ? 
Built  unto  He. 

Then  a  glowing  thee 
Beside  a  proud  me 
One  eternal  we 
A  caring  He. 


Now  school  for  thee 
And  war  for  me 
A  year  before  we 
A  watching  He. 

A  problem  for  thee? 
No  problem  for  me — 
In  the  end  will  be  we 
And  a  helping  He. 

A  prayer  from  thee 
A  prayer  from  me 
A  kneeling  we 

An  answering  He. 


Editor's  Note:  This 
bit  of  verse  was  writ- 
ten by  a  soldier  in 
Vietnam  to  his  girl 
at  home.  It  is  printed 
anonymously  be- 
cause he  says  she 
may  yet  marry  some- 
one else! 


May  1969 


59 


60 


Era   of  Youth 


The  Boys 
Talk  About  Girls! 


Editor's  Note:  Special  bonus  feature 
for  springtime  .  .  .  five  LDS  boys  sat 
around  our  staff  table  and  talked  in- 
formally about  what  they  like  and 
don't  like  about  girls.  It  was  taped. 
It  was  transcribed.  It  was  edited,  too! 
Here  are  some  of  the  highlights.  Panel 
members  are  Steve  Jardine,  college 
sophomore  and  world  traveler;  Bill 
Black,  college  junior  and  returned 
missionary;  Paul  Reynolds,  high 
school  senior  and  artist;  Peter  Soren- 
sen,  high  school  junior  and  actor; 
Don  Johnson,  high  school  senior  and 
skier. 


Moderator:  The  question  for  discussion 
is  "What  About  Today's 
Girls."  All  right,  men,  what 
about  them?  What  do  you 
like  in  a  girl? 

Bill:  I   like  a  girl  who  is  fun  to 

be  with  but  can  still  keep 
her  cool. 

Peter:  I    like   a   girl   who  talks.     I 

can't  stand  those  who  just 
sit  and  say  nothing  all 
night.  A  girl  ought  to  be 
part  of  the  scene — doing 
things.  I'd  rather  have  her 
talk  all  night  than  not  talk 
at  all. 

Paul:  I    like   a   girl    who    is   con- 

stantly changing  all  the 
time  .  .  .  clothes,  hairdo, 
personality,  interests.  One 
who's  interesting! 

Don:  I  like  a  girl  who  is  authen- 

tic, plays  her  own  role,  and 
doesn't  put  on  a  big  show 
trying  to  be  someone  else. 

Paul:  Yes,  that's  what  I  like,  too. 


Moderator:   Paul,  it  seems  you  are  being 

inconsistent.  You  said  you 

liked  a  changing  girl.  Bill: 

Paul:  You  don't  understand  .   .  . 

I    like   a  girl   who   is   crazy 

and  colorful,   but  real.    No 

act.  This  is  how  she  is.  This 

changing  of  moods  is  her 

thing.  Moderator: 

Steve:  I  like  a  girl  who  makes  an       All: 

effort  on  a  date  to  make  it       Peter: 

a   successful   evening.   This 

kind     of    girl     doesn't     sit       Bill: 

around     all     night    waiting 

for    the    boy    to    entertain 

her. 
Bill:  When  a  fellow  has  dated  a 

lot,  he  sees  a  lot  of  cute, 

fun,  and  nice  girls.   But  he       Don: 

also  sees  that  a  lot  of  girls 

today   are    all    alike,    as    if       Moderator: 

they    are    following    a    pat- 
tern, copying  some  big  star 

or  model   or  something.     I       Peter: 

like   a   girl  to   be   her   own 

type. 
Steve:  Sincere!   Boy,  a  fellow  can 

tell  when  she's  playing  the 

role. 
Peter:  Another  thing   ...   a    girl       Don: 

ought  to   learn   how   to   fit 

the    situation.     There    is    a 

time  to   be   mature   and    a 

time  to  be  immature — you 

know,   like  being  willing  to 

swing  or  teeter-totter  in  the 

park.  Then  when  you  go  to 

a     fancy     restaurant,     she       Peter: 

grows  up  again. 
Moderator:  What   should    a   girl    do   to 


make    the    time     together 
more  fun? 

She  ought  to  be  able  to 
carry  on  an  intelligent  con- 
versation, to  talk  about 
something  besides  "what 
high  school  did  you  go  to?" 
or  "what  are  your  hobbies?" 
Like  the  scriptures? 
No!  No!  Not  on  a  date. 
Religion  maybe,  but  not 
scriptures. 

Yes,  religion  is  good,  or 
world  events,  or  art,  or 
anything  like  that,  but 
she  shouldn't  play  the  lit- 
tle back-and-forth  game  of 
questions  and  answers. 
When  I  want  to  talk  about 
myself,  I'll  tell  her! 
So  you  all  agree  a  girl  needs 
to  be  a  skillful  conversa- 
tionalist. Anything  else? 
Well,  if  she  doesn't  like 
what  you  have  planned  for 
the  evening,  she  had  better 
say  so  at  first  or  else  not 
let  on  about  it  by  the  way 
she  acts. 

I  think  a  girl  ought  to  be 
happy  with  your  plans.  Boys 
look  forward  to  dates  and 
try  to  plan  something  nice. 
A  girl  ought  to  be  apprecia- 
tive and  lively.  She  should 
go  along  with  what  you 
have  in  mind  for  her. 
Like  walking  two  paces 
behind? 
(Laughter) 


May   1969 


61 


Steve: 
Don: 


Peter: 


Moderator:  What  about  a  girl's  appear- 
ance  today?     How   do   you 
like  the   fashions  and   hair       Paul: 
styles  and  makeup? 

Don:  A   girl    shouldn't  wear   too 

much  makeup,  especially 
eye  goo  lumped  all  over 
her  lashes  or  smeared 
several  colors  under  her 
eyebrows.  I  really  like  a 
girl  to  look  natural,  clean. 

Peter:  Yeah.     If    it    gets    a     little 

warm,  the  eye  goo  melts 
and  her  eyes  turn  17  dif- 
ferent shades.    Awful! 

Steve:  Some  girls  look  half  asleep 

as  their  eyelids  droop   un-       Paul, 
der  the  weight   of  ail  that       Steve: 
black  stuff.  Bill: 

Paul:  If   she   looks   good — if  the 

total  picture  of  makeup, 
clothes,  hair  is  good,  but 
you  just  can't  pick  out  any 
one  reason  why  she  looks 
good — then  it's  right.  Don: 

Steve:  If  she   feels   self-conscious 

about  it,  she  shouldn't  be 
wearing  it. 

Don:  Natural.  That's  what  I  like.       Paul: 

Too-high  fashion  can  make 
a  boy  embarrassed.  People      Peter: 
stare. 

Bill:  Understated  clothes.  Never 

too  extreme.  Moderation  in 
all  things.  Paul: 

Moderator:  Spoken  like  a  true  mission- 
ary!   What  about  hair? 

Bill:  If   she   wears    long   hair,    it 

ought  to  be  curled  so  she 
looks  as  if  she  cares. 

Peter:  I  disagree!  Long  hair  is  bet- 

ter straight.  But  it  ought  to 
be  clean  and  worn  only  by 
girls    who    look    good    that       Steve: 
way. 

Don:  I     love    a     girl     with     long 

blonde  hair.  Moderator: 

Moderator:  What's  her  name? 

(Laughter)  All: 

All:  Natural     blonde.     No     dye 

jobs.  No  complicated  comb- 
outs.   No  hair  spray.   Natu-       Moderator: 
ral. 

Moderator:  What  about  boys  and  girls 


and  the  rules  of  etiquette?       Bill: 

Can  a  girl  call  you  up? 

I  don't  mind  if  a  girl  calls 

me   up.    Just  so   she   isn't 

hinting  for  me  to   ask  her       Don: 

out. 

I  don't  like  girls  to  call  me. 

I  don't  mind.  She  can  make 

a  friendly  call.  No  big  deal,       Steve: 

though. 

I  raise  another  point — why 

do  girls  expect  boys  to  open 

doors  and  all  that  always? 

I  don't  think  a  boy  has  to 

open  doors  all  the  time  for       Moderator: 

a  girl. 

I  disagree!  Peter: 

He     should     always     have 

enough    respect  to  open   a       Steve: 

door    for    a    girl,    even    if 

they've    been    married    ten       Don: 

years  and  he's  just  taking 

her  to  the  drugstore. 

I  like  her  to  be  casual,  like 

one    of    the    guys,     when       Paul: 

the  situation  calls  for  it — 

games,  picnics. 

No.    A  boy  ought  to  open 

the  doors. 

Why?    That's  acting.    She's       Bill: 

not  helpless.  She  can  turn 

the  little  handle  as  well  as 

you  can. 

I     personally     feel     better 

when   I   play  things  by  the        Moderator: 

rules.    It's  the  system,  and 

it  needn't  be  awkward   for       Peter: 

anyone.    It's  natural  to  do        Bill: 

it     right.      Then     everyone 

knows     what's     happening 

when.    It's  really  easier  and       Paul: 

a  lot  nicer. 

A   girl    ought   to    know  the 

rules  and  make  it  easy  for       Don: 

the  boy  to  follow  them. 

What    kind   of   girl    do   you 

look  for  in  a  wife?  Steve: 

A    good     conversationalist. 

Someone    I    can    talk    to. 

Someone  who'll  listen. 

You  boys  go  heavy  on  the 

conversational  thing.    What 

else? 


I  want  her  to  inspire  me 
to  be  better  and  yet  able  to 
accept  me  as  I  am.  That 
takes  heart. 

She's  got  to  have  a  good 
reputation  —  stable  and 
know  what  she  wants  in 
life. 

Honesty.  I  want  her  to  be 
honest  with  me  and  I  want 
to  be  able  to  speak  hon- 
estly, frankly  with  her  with- 
out worrying  where  it  will  be 
told  in  what  social  circle. 
Are  Church  standards  and 
Church  membership  impor- 
tant? 

For  a  wife,  yes.  For  a  date, 
maybe  no. 

That's  how  you  find  a  wife 
— you  date  her  first. 
If  a  girl  doesn't  meet 
Church  standards,  you  can't 
go  to  the  temple.  A  boy 
has  to  look  ahead. 
I  find  that  the  girls  I  like 
best  turn  out  to  be  Mor- 
mons anyway.  We  have 
more  in  common.  That's 
important. 

You  shouldn't  compromise 
your  own  standards  when 
you  date,  because  you  have 
your  own  reputation  to 
think  of. 

How  about  one  last  bit  of 
advice  to  the  girls? 
Be  flexible. 

Be  concerned  to  be  the  best 
possible  person;  then  you'll 
be  liked  for  what  you  are. 
Don't  talk  about  other  boys 
and  other  dates  when  out 
with  someone  else. 
Natural.  Be  natural.  Noth- 
ing phony — in  makeup  or 
personality. 

Care  about  being  with  the 
boy,  not  about  how  much 
he  has  to  spend  on  you  or 
what  you  are  going  to  do. 
Make  an  effort  to  make  the 
time  together  exciting  and 
fun. 


62 


Era  of  Youth 


MIA  Girls 


MIA  girls  help  the  blind  to  see. 

Winder  Stake  MIA  girls  are  busy  prepar- 
ing library  materials  for  circulation  at  the  Utah 
State  Library  Commission.  The  blind  and  physi- 
cally handicapped  in  Utah,  Idaho,  and  Wyoming 
are  users  of  the  materials  prepared  at  the  Salt 
Lake  Regional  Library.  In  addition,  Latter-day 
Saint  patrons  throughout  the  world  may  obtain 
their  religious  books  from  the  Division  for  the 


and  the  Blind 


Blind  and  Physically  Handicapped  of  the   Utah 
State  Library  in  Salt  Lake  City. 

The  girls  are  seen  processing  materials  for 
circulation.  This  includes  recording  books  onto 
tape,  making  copies  from  master  tapes,  erasing 
tapes  for  reuse,  binding  large-print  books,  filing 
and  shelving  tapes,  duplicating  braille,  circulating 
braille  magazines,  dusting  braille  books,  and  re- 
cording  requests  made  by  patrons  for  circulation. 

Photos  by  Eldon  Linschoten 


I 


I 


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ft  €  —  £.*  t**4 


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Retrench ! 
And  Be  It  Hereby  Resolved. . . 


On  ATa?/  27,  iS70,  /Msit  sm  months  after  President  Brigham  Young 
admonished  his  daughters  to  retrench  in  their  dress  and  conduct, 
resolutions  for  the  new  Ladies'  Co-operative  Retrenchment  Associ- 
ation were  adopted  at  a  meeting  in  the  Hth  Ward  in  Salt  Lake  City. 
Recording  secretary  for  that  meeting  was  Isabella  Eleanor  Harden 
Pratt,  whose  copy  of  the  resolutions  is  reprinted  above  in  her  own 
handwriting.  Sister  Pratt,  a  daughter  of  Elder  Parley  P.  Pratt, 
was  just  16  years  of  age  when  she  held  the  secretarial  position; 
she  later  moved  to  Fillmore,  Utah,  where  she  married  Franklin 
Alonzo  Robison.  Their  daughter,  Mrs.  Carrie  Pratt  Robison  Des- 
pain  of  Salem,  Oregon,  recently  presented  this  original  copy  of  the 
resolutions  to  YWMIA  President  Florence  S.  Jacobsen. 


RESOLUTIONS 

Adopted  by  the  first  young  La- 
dies' department  of  the  Ladies' 
Co-operative  Retrenchment  As- 
sociation, Salt  Lake  City,  orga- 
nized May  27,  1870. 

Resolved. — That,  realizing  our- 
selves to  be  wives  and  daughters 
of  Apostles,  Prophets  and  Elders 
of  Israel,  and,  as  such,  that  high 
responsibilities  rest  upon  us,  and 


66 


Improvement  Era 


that  we  shall  be  held  accountable 
to  God,  not  only  for  the  privi- 
leges we  inherit  from  our  fa- 
thers, but  also  for,  the  blessings 
we  enjoy  as  Latter-day  Saints, 
we  feel  to  unite  and  co-operate 
with,  and  do  mutually  pledge 
ourselves  that  we  will  uphold 
and  sustain  each  other  in  doing 
good. 

Resolved. — That,  inasmuch  as 
the  Saints  have  been  command- 
ed to  gather  out  from  Babylon 
and  "not  partake  of  her  sins, 
that  they  receive  not  of  her 
plagues,"  we  feel  that  we  should 
not  condescend  to  imitate  the 
pride,  folly  and  fashions  of 
the  world.  And  inasmuch  as  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  is  likened 
unto  a  city  set  on  a  hill  to  be  a 
beacon  of  light  to  all  nations,  it 
is  our  duty  to  set  examples  for 
others,  instead  of  seeking  to  pat- 
tern after  them. 

Resolved. — That  we  will  respect 
ancient  and  modern  apostolic  in- 
structions. St.  Paul  exhorted 
Timothy  to  teach  "the  women 
to  adorn  themselves  in  modest 
apparel — not  with  braided  hair, 
or  gold  or  pearls,  or  costly  ar- 
ray ;  but  which  becometh  women 
possessing  godliness,  with  good 
works."  Peter,  also,  in  his  first 
epistle,  in  speaking  of  women, 
says,  "Whose  adorning,  let  it  not 
be  that  outward  adorning  of 
plaiting  the  hair,  and  wearing  of 
gold,  or  of  putting  on  apparel, 
but  let  it  be  the  hidden  man  of 
the  heart,  in  that  which  is  not 
corruptible,  even  the  ornament 
of  the  meek  and  quiet  spirit, 
which  is  in  the  sight  of  God,  of 
great  price:  for  after  this  man- 
ner in  olden  time,  the  holy 
women  also,  who  trusted  in  God, 
adorned  themselves."  In  a  reve- 
lation given  to  the  Latter-day 


Saints  in  1831,  the  Lord  said, 
"Thou  shalt  not  be  proud  in  thy 
heart;  let  all  thy  garments  be 
plain,  and  their  beauty,  the  beau- 
ty of  the  works  of  thine  own 
hands."  All  of  which  we  accept 
as  true  principle,  and  such  as 
should  be  fully  illustrated  in  our 
practice. 

Resolved. — That  with  a  firm  and 
settled  determination  to  honor 
the  foregoing  requirements,  and 
being  deeply  sensible  of  the  sin- 
ful ambition  and  vanity  in  dress 
among  the  daughters  of  Zion, 
which  are  calculated  to  foster 
the  pride  of  the  world,  and  shut 
out  the  spirit  of  God  from  the 
heart,  we  mutually  agree  to 
exert  our  influence,  both  by 
precept  and  by  example,  to  sup- 
press, and  to  eventually  eradi- 
cate these  evils. 

Resolved. — That,  admitting  vari- 
ety has  its  charms,  we  know  that 
real  beauty  appears  to  greater 
advantage  in  a  plain  dress  than 
when  bedizened  with  finery,  and 
while  we  disapprobate  extrava- 
gance and  waste,  we  would  not, 
like  the  Quakers,  recommend  a 
uniform,  but  would  have  each 
one  to  choose  a  style  best  adapt- 
ed to  her  own  taste  and  person : 
at  the  same  time  we  shall  avoid, 
and  ignore  as  obsolete  with  us, 
all  extremes  which  are  opposed 
to  good  sense  or  repulsive  to 
modesty. 

Resolved.— That,  inasmuch  as 
cleanliness  is  a  characteristic  of 
a  Saint,  and  an  imperative  duty, 
we  shall  discard  the  dragging 
skirts,  and  for  decency's  sake, 
those  disgustingly  short  ones, 
extending  no  lower  than  the  boot 
tops.  We  also  regard  paniers  and 
whatever  approximates  in  ap- 
pearance toward  the  "Grecian 
Bend,"  a  burlesque  on  the  natu- 


ral beauty  and  dignity  of  the  hu- 
man female  form,  and  will  not 
disgrace  our  persons  by  wearing 
them,  and  also,  as  fast  as  it  shall 
be  expedient  we  shall  adopt  the 
wearing  of  home-made  articles, 
and  exercise  our  united  influence 
in  rendering  them  fashionable. 

Signed  Mrs.  Ella  Y.  Empy,  Pres. 
Emily  Y.  Clawson 
Zina  Y.  Williams 
Maria  Y.  McDougal 
Caroline  Y.  Croxall 
Miss  Dora  Young 
Pkebe  Young 

Counselors 


Fifteenth  Anniversary  . 
By  Donnell  Hunter 

When  you  were  just  eighteen,  I, 

slightly  older, 
{At  love's  kindling  point)    felt 

myself  ignite, 
Like  incense.  I  made  obeisance 

at  the  sight 
Of  long  hair  lightly  falling  past 

your  shoulder. 
Ablaze,    I    soared — freed    from 

orbits  colder. 
Sweet  influence  fired  my  lonely 

world  with  light. 
False  friends  laughed.    "Hearts 

make  just  one  flight — 
With  time,"  some  scoffed,  "your 

meteor  love  will  smolder." 

But  must  time  always  dampen 
youthful  fires? 

Our  tested  bond  of  marriage  re- 
assures me. 

Emancipated,  loneliness  expires. 

Unquestioning,  your  faithfulness 
secures  me. 

Though  true,  I  may  no  longer 
glow  the  same, 

But  love  can  burn  without  an 
open  flame. 


May  1969 


67 


The  Centennial 
resnvities-- 

Ghurchwide  and  Yearlong 


By  Mabel  Jones  Gabbott 

Editorial  Associate 


•  June  Conference  1969  will  initi- 
ate a  Churchwide,  yearlong  celebra- 
tion of  the  organization  of  the 
Young  Women's  Mutual  Improve- 
ment Association.  Plans  to  com- 
memorate the  first  100  years  of 
YWMIA  have  been  in  the  making 
for  almost  three  years.  Accomplish- 
ments of  the  YWMIA  in  the  past 
century  have  been  big,  and  so  are 
the  plans  for  remembering  this 
century  of  sisterhood. 

Setting  a  spiritual  tone  to  all 
activities  will  be  a  sunrise  service 
for  all  YWMIA  leaders  throughout 
the  Church  to  be  held  in  the  Tab- 
ernacle on  Friday,  June  27.  General 
YWMIA  President  Florence  S. 
Jacobsen  will  review  the  past  hun- 
dred years,  and  President  N.  Eldon 
Tanner  of  the  First  Presidency  will 
give  the  keynote  address,  pointing 
the  future  for  this  beloved  world- 
wide organization. 

During  the  past  year  a  contest  for 


a  special  centennial  song  has  been 
held,  and  four  new  songs  will  be 
sung  at  the  sunrise  service  by  a 
chorus  of  500  girls.  Another  500 
girls  will  march  into  the  Taber- 
nacle, carrying  banners  and  flags. 

A  50-minute  film,  Pioneers  and 
Petticoats,  will  be  premiered  at 
this  sunrise  session.  The  film,  pro- 
duced by  Brigham  Young  Univer- 
sity Studios  and  written  by  Joyce 
O.  Evans,  member  of  the  YWMIA 
general  board,  teaches  what  MIA 
did  for  a  girl  in  1869  and  what  it 
can  do  for  a  girl  in  1969  and  2069. 
It  will  be  shown  throughout  the 
Church  during  the  centennial  year. 

The  opening  activity  of  the  fes- 
tivities will  be  a  ball  on  Thursday, 
June  26,  at  Salt  Lake  City's  new 
Salt  Palace.  Nine  thousand  stake 
leaders,  who  will  receive  engraved 
invitations,  are  expected  to  attend. 
The  Utah  Symphony  will  provide 
the   music.      Those   attending  will 


wear  modern  semiformal  attire,  but 
a  floor  show  will  feature  elegant 
ballroom  costumes  of  100  years  ago. 
A  talent  show  sponsored  by  the 
general  board's  drama  department 
will  be  featured  in  the  Little  Thea- 
ter during  the  evening. 

The  celebration  will  continue  in 
the  department  meetings  of  the 
conference  on  Saturday,  June  28, 
with  each  group  featuring  the  con- 
tributions of  the  girls  or  the  history 
of  its  particular  department.  In  the 
young  women's  executive  meeting 
on  Saturday  morning,  a  delightful 
skit,  entitled  "Be  Thou  An  Exam- 
ple," will  feature  the  life  and  con- 
tribution of  each  of  the  seven 
presidents  of  the  YWMIA.  This 
will  be  a  slide-projected  presenta- 
tion that  may  later  be  used  in  the 
wards  and  stakes  during  the  year. 

In  the  joint  executive  department 
on  Saturday,  the  "Family  Fair"  will 
be  introduced  as  a  possible  centen- 


68 


Improvement  Era 


nial  activity  in  which  an  entire 
ward  family  may  participate.  The 
delightful  fair,  with  a  new  fair  song 
and  an  1869  flavor,  will  feature  the 
MIA  quilt,  made  from  a  pattern 
that  has  been  designed  for  the 
centennial. 

At  the  Lion  House,  where  it  all 
began  in  1869,  there  will  be  an 
open  house  on  Thursday,  Friday, 
and  Saturday  from  4:00  to  8:00 
p.m.  for  all  MIA  conference  visi- 
tors. The  hostesses  will  be  in  pio- 
neer costumes,  and  oil  paintings  of 
the  general  presidents  of  the 
YWMIA  will  be  on  display  in  the 
garden.  Also  on  display  will  be 
mementos  of  the  centennial,  in- 
cluding the  following:  a  centennial 
china  plate,  medallion,  and  linen 
towel,  each  of  which  depicts  the 
girl  of  1869  and  her  1969  counter- 
part; a  centennial  quilt  pattern, 
incorporating  in  the  quilt  block  the 
symbols  of  the  YWMIA;  and  a  bro- 
chure, A  Century  of  Sisterhood, 
with  100  pages  of  historical  events, 
covering  100  years  of  YWMIA 
progress. 

The  dance  festival  at  the  Univer- 
sity of  Utah  stadium  June  27  and  28 
will  feature  the  eras  of  each  of 
the  YWMIA  general  presidents  in 
dance,  costume,  lighting,  and  stag- 
ing. The  theme  will  be  "There's 
Nothing  Like  a  Girl,"  and  a  special 
all-girl  dance  will  be  presented. 

It  is  hoped  that  activities  from 
June  Conference  will  be  carried 
over  into  centennial  celebrations  in 
the  wards  and  stakes;  for  instance, 
centennial  balls  for  the  coming 
MIA  year  will  take  the  place  of 
Gold  and  Green  balls,  and  are  to  be 
scheduled  as  near  as  possible  to  the 
centennial  date,  November  28, 
1969. 

Thus  members  of  the  Church 
throughout  the  world  may  enjoy 
the  festivities  and  remember  the 
purposes  of  the  YWMIA  as  they 
honor  this  auxiliary  on  its  one- 
hundredth  anniversary.  O 


May  1969 


YWMIA 
MEMENTOS 
COMMEMORATING 
100  YEARS  OF 
SISTERHOOD 


New  and  exclusive  treasures  created  for  your  personal 
possession  or  to  present  as  a  token  of  appreciation  to 
outstanding  girls  and  women  of  the  Church.  Each  item 
designed  to  mingle  the  culture  of  the  days  of  the  daughters 
of  Brigham  Young  with  the  excitement  of  twentieth-century 
living.  Order  early — quantities  limited. 


Centennial  plate  de- 
picting multicolored 
picture  of  a  girl  of 
the  nineteenth  and 
twentieth  centuries  in 
beautiful  china. 
$5.00  if  mailed 
$4.00  if  picked  up 


B.  The  Centennial  Me- 
dallion, depicting  the 
girl  of  1869  and  her 
1969  counterpart. 
Available  in  gold  or 
silver.  $3.00  (Sterling 
Silver  $3.50) 


C.  Centennial  Quilt  Pat- 
tern incorporating  the 
symbols  of  the  YW- 
MIA. Makes  up  into 
many  quilt  designs. 

$1.50 

D.  Centennial  Linen  Tow- 
el with  the  girl  of 
yesteryear  and  today 
midst  pictures  of 
meaningful  land- 
marks and  motifs. 

$1.00 


"A  Century  of  Sister- 
hood— a  Chronologi- 
cal Collage  of  YW- 
MIA," one  hundred 
pages  covering  100 
years.  $2.00 


F. 


History  of  the  YWMIA 
by  Marba  C.  Joseph- 
son.  $1.00 


18SS 

jt.\*.] 

1888 

u 

U 

kh' 

-  \ 

n 

' 

m  L         1 

PLEASE  CLIP  AND  MAIL,  OR  SEND  REQUEST  ON  PLAIN  PAPER 

General  Church  Distribution  Center 

P.  O.  Box  11627 

33  Richards  Street 

Salt  Lake  City,  Utah  84111 

Please  list  the  number  of  each 

item 

that  you  desire  to 

purchase.                       j 

□  Centennial  Plate-$4.00  each 

($5.00  if  mailed) 
L7J  Centennial  Medallion— $3.00  each 

(Sterling  Silver— $3.50  each) 

□ 
D 

Centennial  Linen  Towel— $1.00  each                            j: 
Centennial  Collage— $2.00  each                                    1 

□  Centennial  Quilt  Pattern— $1.50  each 

□ 

History  of  the  YWMIA- 

$1.00  each                               S 

1  enclose  money  order  ( )  check  ( ). 

Name 

Ar)Hrss<5 

City                                                                    State 

7ip  Code 

69 


•  Jesus,  who  was  dele- 
gated by  the  Father  to 
come  to  the  earth,  gives 
us  the  master  example 
of  good  administration 
through  proper  delegat- 
ing. His  leadership  was 
perfect.  Rugged,  able 
men  whom  he  called  to 
be  his  apostles  gave 
up  prosperous  business 
careers  to  follow  him. 
Many  of  his  delegated 
missionaries  traveled 
without  purse   or  scrip. 


Guidelines  on  how 
to  do  a  better  job 

in  your  position 
and  enjoy  it  more 


(Part  2)H0W  tO 


night  after  the  last  sup- 
per, he  said  to  his  apos- 
tles, "Verily,  verily,  I  say 
unto  you,  He  that  be- 
lieveth  on  me,  the  works 
that  I  do  shall  he  do 
also;  and  greater  works 
than  these  shall  he  do; 
because  I  go  unto  my 
Father."  (John  14:12.) 

Through  delegating, 
Jesus  desired  to  lift 
rather  than  to  suppress 
the  individual. 

All  through  the  Church 


Men  suffered  great  hardships  in  carrying  out  his  in-  today  men  and  women  are  growing  in  stature' through 

structions,  but  his  delegated  disciples  went  forth  into  positions  delegated  to  them. 

the  world  bold  as  lions  through  his  charge.  They  Second,  in  delegating,  Jesus  did  not  make  the  as- 
accomplished  things  they  had  never  dreamed  possible,  signment  sound  easy;  rather,  he  made  it  sound  excit- 
No  leader  ever  motivated  men  and  women  as  did  he.  ing  and  challenging. 

Jesus  has  given  those  who  are  called  to  positions  of  Peter   was   a   prosperous   fisherman.    When  Jesus 

leadership  in  his  service  today  at  least  eight  lessons  called  him  to  his  service,  he  did  not  ask  him  to  give 

in  wise  and  effective  delegating:  up  his  business  and  become  a  preacher  or  missionary. 

First,  the  organization  he  established  (the  Church)  He   made   the   call   much  more  interesting.    Mark's 


was  structured  in  a  framework  of  delegated  authority. 

This  was  true  of  the  Church  when  he  was  on  the 

earth;  it  is  true  of  his  restored  Church  today.    The 


account  describes  the  call  this  way: 

"Now  as  he  walked  by  the  sea  of  Galilee,  he  saw 
Simon  and  Andrew  his  brother  casting  a  net  into  the 


Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints  builds  sea:  for  they  were  fishers. 

leaders     by     involving     people     delegated     through  "And  Jesus  said  unto  me,  Come  ye  after  me,  and  I 

authority.    When  the  Savior  was  on  earth,  he  called  will  make  you  to  become  fishers  of  men. 

twelve  apostles   to   assist  him   in  administering   the  "And  straightway  they  forsook  their  nets,  and  fol- 

Church.     He  also  called  the  seventy.     He  delegated  lowed  him."  (Mark  1:16-18.) 

others.  There  were  to  be  no  spectators  in  his  Church.  Similarly,  in  delegating  the  seventy  to  go  forth  as 

All  were  to  be  involved  in  helping  to  build  the  king-  missionaries,   Jesus   made   the   assignment  sound  in- 

dom,  and  as  they  built  the  kingdom,  they  built  them-  teresting: 

selves.  "Therefore  said  he  unto  them,  The  harvest  truly  is 

Jesus  aimed  to  exalt  the  individual.  In  that  momen-  great,  but  the  labourers  are  few;  pray  ye  therefore  the 

tous  meeting  with  Moses  on  the  Mount,   the  Lord  Lord  of  the  harvest,  that  he  would  send  forth  labourers 


declared:  "For  behold,  this  is  my  work  and  my  glory- 
to  bring  to  pass  the  immortality  and  eternal  life  of 
man."  (Moses  1:39.) 

Jesus  aimed  to  make  of  every  man  a  king,  to  build 
him  in  leadership  into  eternity.    On  that  memorable 


into  his  harvest."  (Luke  10:2.) 

Yet  Jesus  did  not  make  his  assignment  sound  easy. 
At  the  outset  he  was  realistic.  He  added: 

"Go  your  ways:  behold,  I  send  you  forth  as  lambs 
among  wolves. 


70 


Improvement  Era 


Delegate  Wisely  "r 


"Carry  neither  purse,  nor  scrip,  nor  shoes :  and  salute 
no  man  by  the  way."  (Luke  10:3-4.) 

Third,  in  delegating  responsibility,  Jesus  let  those 
called  know  fully  their  duties. 

He  helped  prepare  them  for  their  assignments. 
Elder  James  E.  Talmage,  in  Jesus  the  Christ,  com- 
ments: 

"For  a  season  following  their  ordination  the  apostles 
remained  with  Jesus,  being  specially  trained  and  in- 
structed by  Him  for  the  work  then  before  them;  after- 
ward they  were  specifically  charged  and  sent  forth 
to  preach  and  to  administer  in  the  authority  of  their 
priesthood.  .  .  ."  (Page  228.) 

In  the  great  revelation  on  priesthood,  the  Lord  gives 
us  an  inspiring  direction,  our  responsibility  to  learn 
our  duty: 

"Wherefore,  now  let  every  man  learn  his  duty,  and 
to  act  in  the  office  in  which  he  is  appointed,  in  all 
diligence. 

"He  that  is  slothful  shall  not  be  counted  worthy  to 
stand,  and  he  that  learns  not  his  duty  and  shows 
himself  not  approved  shall  not  be  counted  worthy  to 
stand.  Even  so.  Amen."  (D&C  107:99-100.) 

Fourth,  Jesus  gave  those  delegated  his  confidence, 
just  as  his  Father  had  given  him  confidence. 

It  is  significant  that  on  at  least  three  occasions  in 
speaking  of  Jesus,  the  Father  said:  "This  is  my  Beloved 
Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased." 

Jesus  likewise  sent  his  delegated  servants  forth  with 
the  feeling  of  his  confidence.  For  example,  to  the 
seventy  he  said:  "He  that  heareth  you  heareth  me.  .  .  ." 
(Luke  10:16.) 

A  wise  administrator  in  the  Church  today  will  not 
try  to  do  the  job  himself,  giving  the  impression  that 
no  one  else  is  quite  qualified.  As  he  delegates,  he 
will  give  an  assurance  that  he  who  has  been  delegated 
has  his  full  backing. 

Jethro  taught  Moses  a  great  lesson  is  not  trying  to 
do  everything  himself: 

"And  when  Moses'  father  in  law  saw  all  that  he  did  to 
the  people,  he  said,  What  is  this  thing  that  thou  doest 
to  the  people?  why  sittest  thou  thyself  alone,  and  all  the 
people  stand  by  thee  from  morning  unto  even? 


Elder  Ezra  Taft  Benson 

the  Council  of  the  Twelve 


"And  Moses  said  unto  his  father  in  law,  Because 
the  people  come  unto  me  to  inquire  of  God: 

"When  they  have  a  matter,  they  come  unto  me; 
and  I  judge  between  one  and  another,  and  I  do  make 
them  know  the  statutes  of  God,  and  his  laws. 

"And  Moses'  father  in  law  said  unto  him,  The  thing 
that  thou  doest  is  not  good. 

"Thou  wilt  surely  wear  away,  both  thou,  and  this 

people  that  is  with  thee:  for  this  thing  is  too  heavy 

for  thee;  thou  art  not  able  to  perform  it  thyself  alone. 

"Hearken  now   unto   my   voice,    I   will   give   thee 

counsel,  and  God  shall  be  with  thee:  Be  thou  for  the 

people  to  Godward,  that 
thou  mayest  bring  the 
causes  unto  God: 

"And  thou  shalt  teach 
them  ordinances  and 
laws,  and  shalt  shew 
them  the  way  wherein 
they  must  walk,  and  the 
work  that  they  must  do. 
"Moreover  thou  shalt 
provide  out  of  all  the 
people  able  men,  such  as 
fear  God,  men  of  truth, 
hating  covetousness;  and  place  such  over  them,  to  be 
rulers  of  thousands,  and  rulers  of  hundreds,  rulers  of 
fifties,  and  rulers  of  tens: 

"And  let  them  judge  the  people  at  all  seasons:  and 
it  shall  be,  that  every  great  matter  they  shall  bring 
unto  thee,  but  every  small  matter  they  shall  judge:  so 
shall  it  be  easier  for  thyself,  and  they  shall  bear  the 
burden  with  thee. 

"If  thou  shalt  do  this  thing,  and  God  command 
thee  so,  then  thou  shalt  be  able  to  endure,  and  all 
this  people  shall  also  go  to  their  place  in  peace. 

"So  Moses  hearkened  to  the  voice  of  his  father  in 
law,  and  did  all  that  he  had  said. 

"And  Moses  chose  able  men  out  of  all  Israel,  and 

made  them  heads  over  the  people,  rulers  of  thousands, 

rulers  of  hundreds,  rulers  of  fifties,  and  rulers  of  tens. 

"And  they  judged  the  people  at  all' seasons:   the 

hard  causes  they  brought  unto  Moses,  but  every  small 


Illustrated  by  David  Thomas 


May  1969 


71 


'Jesus  seemed  to  invite  feedback.  Today  we  have  an  excellent" 


matter  they  judged  themselves."  (Exod.  18:14-26.) 

Fifth,  Jesus  gave  to  those  he  called  his  loyalty,  and 
he  expected  their  loyalty  in  return. 

This  question  of  loyalty  is  a  great  principle.  Some 
years  ago  I  attended  a  long  meeting  of  farm  and 
business  leaders  in  a  hotel  in  Philadelphia.  In  the 
evening  I  went  out  to  get  some  fresh  air  and  to  mail 
some  letters,  and  as  I  approached  the  door  of  the 
post  office,  I  heard  the  strains  of  a  familiar  Mormon 
hymn  coming  from  across  the  street.  After  depositing 
my  letters,  I  went  over  to  investigate.  Two  young 
men  in  dark  suits  were  standing  on  the  corner  steps. 
When  they  finished  singing,  one  began  to  speak.  The 
other  was  holding  in  his  hand  copies  of  the  Book  of 
Mormon  and  some  tracts. 

When  they  finished  their  meeting,  I  asked  the  young 
man  who  had  been  holding  the  literature,  "What  were 
you  doing  while  your  companion  was  speaking?" 

I  remember  his  satisfying  answer:  "Brother  Benson, 
I  was  praying  to  the  Lord  that  my  companion  would 
say  the  right  thing  to  touch  the  hearts  of  the  people 
who  were  listening."   Loyalty  and  support! 

Jesus  told  his  apostles  of  the  oneness  he  had  with 
the  Father:  "Believe  me  that  I  am  in  the  Father, 
and  the  Father  in  me.  .  .  ."  He  asked  for  their  loyalty 
to  him  as  their  leader:  "If  ye  love  me,  keep  my 
commandments."  Then  he  reaffirmed  his  loyalty  to 
them:  'T  will  not  leave  you  comfortless:  I  will  come  to 
you."  Then  he  added:  "Peace  I  leave  with  you,  my  peace 
I  give  unto  you.  .  .  .  Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled, 
neither  let  it  be  afraid."  (John  14:11,  15,  18,  27.) 

A  good  leader  expects  loyalty  from  those  he  dele- 
gates. He  in  turn  gives  loyalty  that  extends  to  matters 
beyond  the  call  of  duty.  He  is  loyal  when  honors 
come  to  those  with  whom  he  serves.  He  takes  pride  in 
their  successes.  He  does  not  embarrass  an  associate 
before  others.    He  is  frank  and  open. 

Sixth,  Jesus  expected  much  from  those  to  whom  he 
delegated  responsibility. 

At  the  time  of  his  ascension,  Jesus  charged  his  apos- 
tles: "Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel 
to  every  creature."  (Mark  16:15.) 

In  the  Church  today  a  leader  generally  gets  in  per- 


formance what  he  truly  expects.  He  needs  to  think 
tall  when  he  delegates.  He  should  assure  those  to 
whom  he  gives  assignments  that  in  the  service  of  the 
Lord  they  have  even  greater  powers  than  in  ordinary 
responsibilities.  There  can  be  no  failure  in  the  work 
of  the  Lord  when  men  do  their  best.  Each  of  us  is 
but  an  instrument— this  is  the  Lord's  work.  He  will 
not  permit  us  to  fail  if  we  do  our  part;  he  will  magnify 
us  even  beyond  our  own  talents  and  abilities  when 
necessary.  This  is  one  of  the  sweetest  experiences 
that  can  come  to  a  human  being. 

In  the  last  solemn  interview  with  the  apostles  before 
his  ascension,  Jesus  said:  "But  ye  shall  receive  power, 

after  that  the  Holy 
Ghost  is  come  upon  you : 
and  ye  shall  be  wit- 
nesses unto  me  both  in 
Jerusalem,  and  in  all 
Judea,  and  in  Samaria, 
and  unto  the  uttermost 
part  of  the  earth."  (Acts 
1:8.) 

President  John  Taylor 
said:  "If  a  thing  is  well 
done,   no  one   will  ask 
how  long  it  took  to  do 
it,  but  who  did  it." 

There  is  no  room  for  shoddy  performance  in  the 
Church.  An  able  leader  will  expect  quality,  and  he 
will  let  those  whom  he  assigns  know  that  he  expects 
quality. 

Seventh,  Jesus  seemed  to  invite  feedback  from  those 
to  whom  he  gave  assignments. 

This  is  shown  in  Mark's  account:  "And  the  apostles 
gathered  themselves  together  unto  Jesus,  and  told 
him  all  things,  both  what  they  had  done,  and  what 
they  had  taught. 

"And  he  said  unto  them,  Come  ye  yourselves  apart 
into  a  desert  place  and  rest  awhile. . . ."  ( Mark  6:30-31. ) 
No  wise  leader  believes  that  all  good  ideas  originate 
with  himself.  He  invites  suggestions  from  those  he 
leads.  He  lets  them  feel  that  they  are  an  important 
part  of  decision  making.   He  lets  them  feel  that  they 


72 


Improvement  Era 


system  for  feedback  in  the  home  teaching  program 


are  carrying  out  their  policies,  not  just  his. 

The  home  teaching  program  of  the  Church  offers  a 
most  excellent  system  for  feedback.  Home  teachers 
will  invite  feedback  from  their  families;  priesthood 
leaders,  from  the  home  teachers;  the  bishop,  from  the 
priesthood  leaders;  the  stake  president,  from  the 
bishops.  In  this  way  the  leader  will  not  only  receive 
many  helpful  ideas;  he  will  also  keep  his  finger  on  the 
pulse  of  those  whom  he  has  been  assigned  to  lead. 

Eighth,    Jesus    taught 
that  he  who  leads  should 
follow   the   progress   of 
those  to  whom  responsi- 
bility has  been  delegated, 
giving    praise    and    re- 
proof in  a  spirit  of  love. 
In  his  parable  of  the 
talents,  the  Master  said: 
"Well    done,    good    and 
faithful     servant;     thou 
hast  been  faithful  over 
a  few  things,  I  will  make 
thee  ruler  over  many  things:  enter  thou  into  the  joy 
of  the  Lord."  (Matt.  25:23.) 

When  responsibility  has  been  given,  the  leader 
does  not  forget  the  person  assigned  nor  his  assign- 
ment. He  follows  with  interest  but  does  not  "look  over 
the  shoulder."  He  gives  specific  praise  when  it  is  de- 
served. He  gives  helpful  encouragement  when  needed. 
When  he  feels  that  the  job  is  not  being  done  and  a 
change  is  needed,  he  acts  with  courage  and  firmness  but 
also  with  kindness.  When  the  tenure  of  an  office  has 
been  completed,  he  gives  recognition  and  thanks. 

Even  harder  to  bear  than  criticism  oftentimes  is  no 
word  from  a  leader  on  the  work  to  which  one  has  been 
assigned.  Little  comments  or  notes  that  are  sincere 
and  specific  are  great  boosters. 

In  the  all-important  matter  of  delegating  by  the 
Spirit,  there  is  no  satisfactory  substitute  for  the  Spirit. 
In  this  regard  I  know  of  no  more  impressive  scrip- 
ture than  the  inspiring  words  of  the  Lord  to  the 
Prophet  Joseph  Smith  from  Liberty  Jail,  recorded  in 
the  Doctrine  and  Covenants— sublime  in  spirit,  ever 


timely  for  instruction,  and  ever  profound  in  deep 
meaning  for  the  priesthood  of  God: 

"Behold,  there  are  many  called,  but  few  are  chosen. 
And  why  are  they  not  chosen? 

"Because  their  hearts  are  set  so  much  upon  the 
things  of  this  world,  and  aspire  to  the  honors  of  men, 
that  they  do  not  learn  this  one  lesson— 

"That  the  rights  of  the  priesthood  are  inseparably 
connected  with  the  powers  of  heaven,  and  that  the 
powers  of  heaven  cannot  be  controlled  nor  handled 
only  upon  the  principles  of  righteousness. 

"That  they  may  be  conferred  upon  us,  it  is  true; 
but  when  we  undertake  to  cover  our  sins,  or  to  gratify 
our  pride,  our  vain  ambition,  or  to  exercise  control 
or  dominion  or  compulsion  upon  the  souls  of  the 
children  of  men,  in  any  degree  of  unrighteousness, 
behold,  the  heavens  withdraw  themselves;  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  is  grieved;  and  when  it  is  withdrawn,  Amen 
to  the  priesthood  or  the  authority  of  that  man. 

"Behold,  ere  he  is  aware,  he  is  left  unto  himself, 
to  kick  against  the  pricks,  to  persecute  the  saints,  and 
to  fight  against  God. 

"We  have  learned  by  sad  experience  that  it  is  the 
nature  and  disposition  of  almost  all  men,  as  soon  as 
they  get  a  little  authority,  as  they  suppose,  they  will 
immediately  begin  to  exercise  unrighteous  dominion. 

"Hence  many  are  called,  but  few  are  chosen. 

"No  power  or  influence  can  or  ought  to  be  main- 
tained by  virtue  of  the  priesthood,  only  by  persuasion, 
by  long-suffering,  by  gentleness  and  meekness,  and 
by  love  unfeigned; 

"By  kindness,  and  pure  knowledge,  which  shall 
greatly  enlarge  the  soul  without  hypocrisy,  and  with- 
out guile— 

"Reproving  betimes  with  sharpness,  when  moved 
upon  by  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  then  showing  forth 
afterwards  an  increase  of  love  toward  him  whom  thou 
hast  reproved,  lest  he  esteem  thee  to  be  his  enemy; 

"That  he  may  know  that  thy  faithfulness  is  stronger 
than  the  cords  of  death."  (D&C  121:34-44.) 

May  we  ever  heed  this  counsel  and  all  other  scrip- 
tural direction  as  we  strive  earnestly  and  prayerfully 
to  delegate  wisely.  ° 


May  1969 


73 


Exemplary  Manhood 
Award 

David  M.  Kennedy,  U.S. 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury 
and  former  first  counselor 
in  the  Chicago  Stake 
presidency,  has  been 
awarded  the  annual 
exemplary  manhood  award 
by  the  Associated  Men 
Students  of  Brigham  Young 
University.    Formerly 
the  chairman  of  the  board 
of  Continental   Illinois 
National  Bank  and  Trust 
Company,  one  of  the 
largest  banks  in  America, 
Brother  Kennedy  was 
cited  for  having  "gained 
the  highest  positions  in  the 
business  world  and 
appointment  to  the 
world's  most  important 
office  in  finance  while 
continuing  to  serve 
his  Church,  and  assist 
civic  organizations  in  a  true 
spirit  of  good  citizenship." 


Nauvoo  Visitors  Center 

Nauvoo  Restoration,  Inc.,  a  nonprofit 
corporation  sponsored  by  the  Church,  has 
announced  plans  for  a  two-story 
visitors  center  at  Nauvoo,  Illinois, 
headquarters  of  the  Church  from 
1839-45.   The  center,  to  be  constructed 
of  red  brick,  will  be  typical  of 
buildings  of  the  Nauvoo  period,  and  will 
be  located  on  a  16-acre  plot  with 
a  panoramic  view  of  Nauvoo  and 


the  Mississippi  River.     The  center  will 
feature  two  theaters,  a  large  library, 
lecture  hall,  lounges,  and  administrative 
offices.    Additional  plans  will  call 
for  restoration  of  the  seventies  hall,  shops 
of  tanners,  blacksmiths,  wheelwrights, 
wagon-makers,  and  other 
trades  of  the  period.    Partial 
restoration  of  the  Nauvoo  Temple  is 
also  projected. 


All-Church  Basketball 

The  annual  all-Church  basketball  wars,  with  their 
cheers  and  muffled  tears,  have  again  ended.    The  three 
winning  teams  reflect  the  widespread  nature 
of  the  world's  largest  basketball  program:  senior  division- 
Baldwin  Park  Ward,  West  Covina  (California)  Stake, 
defeated  Clearfield  Second  Ward,  Clearfield  (Utah)  Stake, 
77-67;  college  division — Brigham  Young  University 
Fifteenth  Ward  defeated  Brigham  Young 
University  Eighth  Ward,  69-60;  junior  division — 
Cincinnati  First  Ward,  Cincinnati  (Ohio)  Stake,  defeated 
Westminster  Ward,  Huntington  Beach  (California) 
Stake,  55-52.    Sportsmanship  winners  were  Dillon  Ward, 
Butte  (Montana)  Stake,  senior  division,  and 
Cincinnati  First  Ward,  junior  division. 


Engineering 
President 

Arthur  V.  Maxwell,  first 
assistant  in  the  Sunday 
School  superintendency  of 
the  Bountiful  (Utah)  Thir- 
teenth Ward,  will  assume 
the  office  of  president  of 
the  Consulting  Engineers 
Council  in  May.    The  organi- 
zation represents  over  2,200 
consulting  engineer  firms  in 
45  state  organizations 
in  the 
United  States. 


74 


Improvement  Era 


Washington  D.C.  Temple  Design 

The  First  Presidency  has  approved  the  architectural  design 
for  the  Washington,  D.C,  Temple.    The  temple,  which 
will  be  erected  atop  a  hill  on  a  57-acre  tract  near 
Silver  Springs,    Maryland,    reflects  the  design   of  the 
Salt  Lake  Temple  in  a  "new  expression  and  form." 
Construction   will   begin   in   about   a   year,    according  to 
Mark  B.  Garff,  Church  Building  Committee  chairman. 
The  new  temple,   sixteenth  to  be  erected  by  the  Church, 
will  serve  over  240,000  members  living- in  the  eastern 
United  States  and  Canada  in  38  stakes  and  12  missions. 


New  Church  Office  Building 

Construction  will  begin  this  summer  on   a   new  25-story 
general  Church  office  building  in  Salt  Lake  City.    The  high- 
rise  building,  located  on  the  same  block  and  immediately 
north   of  the   present  Church   Administration    Building, 
will  be  built  over  the  three-story  underground  parking 
plaza  constructed  in  1964-65.    The  new  building  will 
have  two  fronts — north  and  south — with  the  main  entrance 
to  the  south,  facing  a  landscaped   plaza   between  the 
new  building  and  the  present  Church  Administration 
Building. 


# 


The  Spoken  Word 

Richard  L.  Evans 


On  becoming  qualified 


There  is  something  George  Eliot  said  that  has 
overtones  for  all  of  us:  "What  is  opportunity 
to  the  man  who  can't  use  it?"1  These  words 
have  special  meaning  for  those  living  in  that  time 
of  life  which  is,  or  should  be,  a  period  of  prepara- 
tion. Life  goes  swiftly.  Responsibilities  increase; 
opportunities  to  prepare  diminish,  and  one  can 
scarcely  conceive  of  a  young  person's  ignoring  the 
opportunity  to  develop  a  talent  or  skill,  to  prepare 
for  a  trade  or  profession,  for  a  larger  role  in  life.  One 
could  scarcely  explain  why  anyone  with  opportunity 
to  learn  would  ever  choose  to  drop  out,  just  to  drift, 
and  leave  himself  open  for  frustration  and  disappoint- 
ment for  the  future.  Life  is  all  we  have-life,  our 
hands,  our  minds,  our  muscles,  our  spirit,  our  willing- 
ness to  prepare,  our  willingness  to  work.  Oh,  if 
only  we  could  implant  in  the  minds  and  hearts  of 
young  people  the  blessing  of  an  education,  the 
blessing  of  choosing  some  good  goal  and  moving 
toward  it,  the  blessing  of  becoming  qualified,  and 
avoiding  the  disappointments  that  come  later  in 
life  when  demand  for  the  untrained  shrinks,  as  the 
economic  cycle  shifts.  Life,  mind,  time,  talents— 
these  are  tools,  these  are  instruments  that  should  be 
sharpened  as  suitably  as  possible  for  enduring  and 
increasing  and  satisfying  service.  "The  secret  of 
success,"  said  Disraeli,  ".  .  .  is  for  a  man  to  be  ready 
for  his  opportunity  when  it  comes."2  If  there  are  any 
whom  we  could  reach  and  touch  at  this  time,  we 
would  plead  with  every  young  person  to  pursue  his 
education,  his  preparation,  and  improve  himself  to 
the  finest  point  possible;  to  acquire  competence, 
to  qualify  for  life,  for  learning,  for  living;  to  know 
something  well,  to  do  something  well,  to  have  some- 
thing to  offer;  to  avoid  being  a  marginal  person,  to 
be  more  useful  to  family,  community,  country,  and 
also  serve  himself,  and  have  the  great  satisfaction 
that  comes  with  being  needed,  wanted,  appreciated, 
compensated.  "What  is  opportunity  to  the  man 
who  can't  use  it?" 


George  Eliot,  "Scenes  From  Clerical  Life:  Amos  Barton." 
2Benjamin  Disraeli. 

*"The  Spoken  Word"  from  Temple 
Square,  presented  over  KSL  and  the  Columbia  Broadcasting  System 
March  2,  1969.    Copyright  1969. 


May  1969 


75 


■::■      .  ..  ■:!■     ' 


A    mature    David    Whitmer,    at   age 
72,  in  1877  in  Richmond,  Missouri 


•  No  testimony  of  direct  revelation 
in  the  world's  history  is  better  docu- 
mented than  the  testimony  of  the 
Book  of  Mormon  witnesses.  Since 
David  Whitmer  was  widely  publi- 
cized as  "the  last-surviving  witness" 
prior  to  his  death  in  1888,  he  was 
interviewed  more  extensively  than 
the  others.  He  said  that  thousands 
came  to  inquire,  and  over  fifty  of 
these  conversations  are  reported  in 
reasonable  detail  in  contemporary 
diaries,  letters,  and  newspapers, 
supplemented  by  later  recollections. 
This  examination  and  cross-exami- 
nation furnishes  a  detailed  historical 
record  containing  significant  ques- 
tions that  one  would  direct  to 
the  witness,  and  his  specific  and 
positive  answers.  Consequently,  to- 
day's investigator  can  test  David 
Whitmer's  convictions  just  as  well 
as  the  visitor  of  the  past  century 
who  talked  with  him  personally. 

By  means  of  the  many  conversa- 
tions with  the  last-surviving  wit- 
ness, one  may  reconstruct  a  line  of 
questioning  on  the  central  points  of 


New  Evidence 
from 
Modern  Witnesses 
(Part  8) 

The 
Most 
Inter- 
viewed 

Witness 


By  Dr.  Richard  Lloyd  Anderson 

the  revelation  that  came  to  him. 
The  following  replies  are  taken 
from  the  better  recorded  interviews 
of  about  the  last  decade  of  his  life. 
Since  these  responses  can  be  docu- 
mented in  multiple  situations,  such 
a  composite  interview  gives  a  fair 
idea  of  the  impact  of  a  private  talk 
with  David  Whitmer:1 

Q:  Is  your  published  testimony 
accurate? 

A:  "As  you  read  my  testimony 
given  many  years  ago,  so  it  stands 
as  my  own  existence,  the  same  as 
when  I  gave  it,  and  so  shall  stand 
throughout  the  cycles  of  eternity."2 

Q:  When  did  this  event  take 
place? 

A:  "It  was  in  June,  1829,  the 
very  last  part  of  the  month.  .  .  ."3 

Q:  What  was  the  approximate 
time  of  day? 

A:    "It  was  about  11  a.m."4 

Q:  What  were  the  circum- 
stances of  the  vision? 

A:  "[We]  went  out  into  the 
woods  nearby,  and  sat  down  on  a 
log  and  talked  awhile.    We  then 


An    aged    David    Whitmer,     in    the 
last  year  of  his  life,  age  82  or  83 


kneeled  down  and  prayed.  Joseph 
prayed.  We  then  got  up  and  sat 
on  the  log  and  were  talking,  when 
all  at  once  a  light  came  down  from 
above  us  and  encircled  us  for  quite 
a  little  distance  around,  and  the 
angel  stood  before  us."5 

Q :    Describe  the  angel. 

A:  "He  was  dressed  in  white, 
and  spoke  and  called  me  by  name 
and  said,  'Blessed  is  he  that  keepeth 
His  commandments.'  This  is  all 
that  I  heard  the  angel  say."6 

Q :  Did  the  angel  have  the  Book 
of  Mormon  plates? 

A:  "[He]  showed  to  us  the 
plates,  the  sword  of  Laban,  the 
Directors,  the  Urim  and  Thummim, 
and  other  records.  Human  lan- 
guage could  not  describe  heavenly 
things  and  that  which  we  saw."7 

Q:  Did  the  vision  take  place 
under  natural  circumstances? 

A:  "The  fact  is,  it  was  just  as 
though  Joseph,  Oliver  and  I  were 
sitting  right  here  on  a  log,  when 
we  were  overshadowed  by  a  light. 
It  was  not  like  the  light  of  the  sun, 


76 


Improvement  Era 


nor  like  that  of  a  fire,  but  more 
glorious  and  beautiful.  It  extended 
away  round  us,  I  cannot  tell  how 
far,  but  in  the  midst  of  this  light, 
immediately  before  us,  about  as  far 
off  as  he  sits  (pointing  to  John  C. 
Whitmer,  who  was  sitting  2  or  3 
feet  from  him)  there  appeared,  as 
it  were,  a  table,  with  many  records 
on  it— besides  the  plates  of  the 
Book  of  Mormon,  also  the  sword  of 
Laban,  the  Directors,  and  the  Inter- 
preters. I  saw  them  as  plain  as  I 
see  this  bed  ( striking  his  hand  upon 
the  bed  beside  him),  and  I  heard 
the  voice  of  the  Lord  as  distinctly 
as  I  ever  heard  anything  in  my  life 
declaring  that  they  were  translated 
by  the  gift  and  power  of  God."8 

Q:  Can  you  explain  the  super- 
natural power  that  surrounded  you? 

A:  "All  of  a  sudden  I  beheld  a 
dazzlingly  brilliant  light  that  sur- 
passed in  brightness  even  the  sun 
at  noonday,  and  which  seemed  to 
envelop  the  woods  for  a  consider- 
able distance  around.  Simultaneous 
with  the  light  came  a  strange  en- 
trancing influence  which  permeated 
me  so  powerfully  that  I  felt  chained 
to  the  spot,  while  I  also  experienced 
a  sensation  of  joy  absolutely  inde- 
scribable"9 

Q :  "Did  you  see  the  Urim  and 
Thummim?"       I 

A:  "I  saw  the  Interpreters  in  the 
holy  vision;  they  looked  like  whitish 
stones  put  in  the  rim  of  a  bow- 
looked  like  spectacles,  only  much 
larger."10 

Q:    Did  you  see  an  actual  table? 

A:  "You  see  that  small  table  by 
the  wall?  .  .  .  Well,  there  was  a 
table  about  that  size,  and  the  heav- 
enly messenger  brought  the  several 
plates  and  laid  them  on  the  table 
before  our  eyes,  and  we  saw 
them.  .  .  ."" 

Q:    Did  you  handle  the  plates? 

A:  "I  did  not  handle  the  plates 
—only  saw  them."12  "Joseph,  and  I 
think  Oliver  and  Emma  told  me 
about    the    plates,    and    described 


May   1969 


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Name 


Q 

< 
Q. 


them  to  me,  and  I  believed  them, 
but  did  not  see  except  at  the  time 
testified  of."13 

Q:  How  clearly  could  you  see 
the  plates? 

A:  "[T] he  angel  stood  before  us, 
and  he  turned  the  leaves  one  by 
one.  14 

'[H]e  held  the  plates  and  turned 
them  over  with  his  hands,  so  that 


they  could  be  plainly  visible.  .  .  ."15 
Q:    "Did  the  angel  turn  all  the 
leaves  before  you  as  you  looked  on 
it?" 

A :  "No,  not  all,  only  that  part  of 
the  book  which  was  not  sealed,  and 
what  there  was  sealed  appeared  as 
solid  to  my  view  as  wood."10 

Q:  "Can  you  describe  the  plates?" 
A :  "They  appeared  to  be  of  gold, 


* 


The  Spoken  Word 

Richard  L  Evans 


For  lessons  we  refuse  to  learn 


Life  is  good— if  we  will  live  to  let  it  be.  It  is  also  difficult  at  times. 
No  one  ever  said  it  wouldn't  be.  Certainly  the  Father  of  us  all  did 
not  say  so.  But,  as  a  loving  Father,  he  has  given  us  counsel  and  pre- 
cautions, and  has  "warned  and  forewarned"  us  according  to  his  own 
words.  In  a  sense,  he  says  to  us:  Don't  clutter  up  your  life  with  things 
that  are  sure  to  damage  the  mind,  distress  the  spirit,  which  are  sure  to 
destroy  health  and  peace,  and  embarrass  and  disquiet  conscience,  and 
cause  a  complexity  of  personal  problems.  Some  things  are  good  for 
man.  Some  things  are  not  good  for  man.  This  is  true  morally,  physically, 
spiritually.  And  yet  with  all  the  experience  of  the  ages,  and  all  the 
counsel  God  has  given,  we  keep  repeating  many  of  the  same  mistakes— 
in  a  sense,  hitting  our  heads  against  a  wall,  perhaps  wondering  why 
the  wall  remains  while  our  heads  are  hurting.  It  comes  down  to  a 
question  of  listening  to  counsel,  learning  the  commandments  and 
keeping  them.  ".  .  .  The  hour  will  be  a  priceless  one,"  wrote  Lida 
Churchill,  "in  which  one  faces  the  truth,  for  it  is  a  truth,  and  a  most 
important  one,  that  no  one  is  free  in  the  sense  in  which  the  unthinking 
mind  regards  freedom."1  It  is  true  that  we  are  free  to  choose,  but  we 
are  not  free  from  the  consequences  that  come  from  choosing.  We  are 
not  free  from  the  operation  of  law.  "To  be  deceived  by  our  enemies 
or  betrayed  by  our  friends  is  insupportable,"  said  a  French  philosopher; 
"yet  to  be  deceived  by  ourselves  is  worse.  .  .  ."2  The  Creator  knows 
what  will  bring  happiness  and  misery  to  man,  and  we  should  not  de- 
ceive ourselves  that  we  can  do  anything  that  is  not  good  for  people, 
or  for  us  personally,  without  paying  a  price.  "There  is  a  law  .  .  ."— 
a  law  of  health,  a  law  of  happiness,  a  law  of  peace  and  progress— "upon 
which  all  blessings  are  predicated,"3  and  we  cannot  safely  set  aside 
what  has  been  tested  and  proven  over  and  over  in  the  past,  without 
paying  a  personal  price  for  each  lesson  we  refuse  to  learn. 


•Lida  A.  Churchill,  "Freedom  That  Is  Bondage,"  "Delineator,"  lanuary  1907. 
2Francois  La  Rochefoucauld. 
3D&C  130:20. 


*"The  Spoken  Word"  from  Temple  Square,  pre- 
sented over  KSL  and  the  Columbia  Broadcasting  System  February  23,  1969.  Copyright  1969. 


about  six  by  nine  inches  in  size, 
about  as  thick  as  parchment,  a  great 
many  in  number  and  bound  to- 
gether like  the  leaves  of  a  book  by 
massive  rings  passing  through  the 
back  edges.  The  engraving  upon 
them  was  very  plain  and  of  very 
curious  appearance."17 

Q:  Is  it  possible  that  you  imag- 
ined this  experience? 

A:  "[0]ur  testimony  is  true. 
And  if  these  things  are  not  true, 
then  there  is  no  truth;  and  if  there 
is  no  truth,  there  is  no  God;  and  if 
there  is  no  God,  there  is  no  exis- 
tence. But  I  know  there  is  a  God, 
for  I  have  heard  His  voice  and  wit- 
nessed the  manifestation  of  his 
power."18 

Q:  "Do  you  remember  the  pecu- 
liar sensation  experienced  upon  that 
occasion?" 

A:  "Yes,  I  remember  it  very  dis- 
tinctly. And  I  never  think  of  it, 
from  that  day  to  this,  but  what  that 
spirit  is  present  with  me."19 

How  does  one  measure  the  truth 
of  such  testimony?  The  person  with 
faith  will  realize  ( as  Paul  insisted ) 
that  spiritual  truths  must  be  spiri- 
tually verified.  Although  expecting 
to  be  believed,  David  Whitmer  ad- 
vised prayer  as  the  necessary  sup- 
plement to  the  human  testimony  of 
witnesses:  "If  you  are  open  to  in- 
vestigation and  conviction,  I  pray 
you  to  read  the  Book  of  Mormon 
with  a  prayerful  heart.  .  .  .  The 
Book  carries  conviction  with  it."20 

Yet  practical  examination  is  the 
inevitable  companion  of  a  real  love 
for  truth,  and  one  aware  of  David 
Whitmer's  testimony  cannot  face 
the  issues  it  raises  without  subject- 
ing its  author  to  basic  tests  of  ac- 
curacy. People  in  everyday  life 
constantly  sort  out  the  valid  from 
the  invalid  on  the  basis  of  the  relia- 
bility of  the  source  of  information 
and  the  consistency  of  the  report. 
By  these  standards  the  testimony  of 
the  last-surviving  witness  is  unas- 
sailable, for'  its  author  earned  the 


78 


Improvement  Era 


solid  respect  of  his  non-Mormon 
townsmen  through  a  half  century  of 
private  integrity,  and  in  this  time 
constantly  repeated  his  experience 
with  the  angel  and  the  plates  with- 
out variance  on  its  fundamental 
points.  As  he  said  himself  toward 
the  end  of  his  life,  "Those  who 
know  me  best,  well  know  that  I 
have  always  adhered  to  that  testi- 
mony.  21 

If  neither  the  man  nor  his  man- 
ner of  relating  his  story  is  question- 
able, what  of  his  motives?  Can  the 
distorting  force  of  self-interest  be 
detected?  His  plain  courage  in  ig- 
noring self-interest  in  the  matter  of 
his  testimony  was  the  source  of  ad- 
miration earned  from  community 
leaders  in  Richmond,  Missouri. 
Neither  unpopularity,  danger,  nor 
tedious  inconvenience  altered  his 
expressed  convictions.  David  occa- 
sionally alluded  to  an  ultimatum  de- 
livered by  about  five  hundred 
armed  men  to  induce  him  to  re- 
pudiate his  testimony.  The  likely 
situation  for  this  incident  is  the  time 
of  his  apostasy,  after  which  he  was 
conscripted  to  serve  as  a  teamster 
for  the  militia  at  the  Mormon  expul- 
sion in  1838.  This  is  confirmed  by 
Charles  W.  Wandell's  early  details 
about  a  witness  who  was  "sur- 
rounded by  an  armed  mob,  had  a 
loaded  rifle  presented  to  his  breast 
and  was  commanded  on  pain  of 
instant  death  to  deny  the  Book  of 
Mormon  and  confess  it  a  fraud,  and 
promised  ...  as  a  reward  for  such 
confession  the  privilege  of  remain- 
ing in  the  state  and  the  possession 
of  his  property."  Wandell  had 
information  that  this  witness  risked 
his  life  rather  than  deny  his  testi- 
mony: ".  .  .  he  raised  his  hands  to 
heaven  and  solemnly  declared  the 
book  to  be  the  word  of  God."22 

David  Whitmer  told  Heman  C. 
Smith  that  on  command  of  the  mob 
to  "renounce  his  testimony,"  he 
nevertheless  reaffirmed  it  "in  the 
face  of  death."23    The  most  exten- 


sive personal  account  of  the  inci- 
dent was  related  to  James  H.  Hart: 
"[T]he  testimony  I  gave  to  that 
mob  made  them  fear  and  tremble, 
and  I  escaped  from  them.  One 
gentleman,  a  doctor,  an  unbeliever, 
told  me  afterwards  that  the  bold 
and  fearless  testimony  borne  on 
that  occasion  and  the  fear  that 
seemed  to  take  hold  of  the  mob  had 


made  him  a  believer  in  the  Book 
of  Mormon."24 

In  the  above  conversation  with 
James  H.  Hart,  the  Missouri  busi- 
nessman alluded  to  "thousands  of 
people"  that  had  sought  his  com- 
ments, "sometimes  15  or  20  in  a 
day."  This  posed  no  inconsiderable 
burden  to  one  with  practical  re- 
sponsibilities who  naturally  avoided 


A  newly  located  portrait  of  David  Whitmer,  32  years  of  age,  painted  in  Kirtland,  Ohio,  at 
the  peak  of  his  service  and  devotion  to  the  Church.  (Picture,  courtesy  of  Mrs.  Dorothy 
Twelves  Freeman,  great-great  granddaughter  of  David  Whitmer) 


May  1969 


79 


Impeccable  in  reputation,  consistent  in  inter- 
views, capable  of  detecting  delusion--no 
witness  is  morecompellingthan  DavidWhitmer" 


the  spotlight  of  publicity.  An  exam- 
ple of  this  constant  personal  pres- 
sure comes  from  the  visit  of  Henry 
Moon.  One  of  his  missionary  con- 
tacts in  Missouri,  John  Lefler,  de- 
sired to  talk  with  David  Whitmer 
personally,  and  the  pair  arrived  in 
Richmond  January  9,  1872,  at  the 
unfortunate  time  of  supper  hour, 
just  after  dark,  and  in  the  circum- 
stances of  an  evidently  difficult  day 
with  sickness  in  the  Whitmer  fam- 
ily. The  Book  of  Mormon  witness 
sought  to  avoid  the  inquirers  by 
leaving  the  house  to  perform  an 
errand  at  his  livery  stable,  but  they 
persistently  followed  him.  Yet  after 
stating  that  "he  had  not  time  to  talk 
that  evening,"  David's  sense  of  duty 
about  his  testimony  overcame  his 
personal  irritability: 

"We  followed  him  in  the  street, 
and  I  told  him  that  the  gentleman 
with  me  had  come  to  hear  what  he 
had  to  say  with  regard  to  the  Book 
of  Mormon.  I  told  Mr.  Whitmer  I 
had  been  reading  the  testimony  of 
the  Witnesses  to  Mr.  Lefler,  and  .  .  . 
he  was  anxious  to  hear  .  .  .  for  him- 
self. 'Now  Mr.  Whitmer,  here  is 
the  gentleman.  What  have  you  to 
say  to  him?'  Mr.  Whitmer  turned 
towards  Mr.  Lefler  and  said,  'Well, 
God  Almighty  requires  at  my  hand 
to  bear  testimony  to  the  truth  of 
the  Book  of  Mormon.  It  is  the  pure 
Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  translated 
from  the  plates  by  the  gift  and 
power  of  God  by  Joseph  Smith.  .  .  . 
I  know  I  tell  the  truth.'  "25 

More  than  one  person  appealed 
privately  to  the  last-surviving  wit- 
ness to  disclose  deceit  if  it  existed. 
Two  such  earnest  requests  virtually 
eliminate  the  possibility  of  con- 
scious deception  on  the  part  of 
David  Whitmer.    James  H.  Moyle 


was  later  Assistant  Secretary  of 
Treasury  in  two  U.S.  administra- 
tions. Graduating  with  legal  train- 
ing at  the  University  of  Michigan  in 
1885,  he  determined  to  cross- 
examine  the  remaining  Book  of 
Mormon  witness  before  returning 
to  Utah.  Young  Moyle  journeyed  to 
Richmond,  Missouri,  secured  an  ap- 
pointment with  David  Whitmer, 
and  spent  some  time  recounting  the 
persecutions  and  sacrifices  of  his 
family  because  of  belief  in  Mormon- 
ism.  He  further  contrasted  Whit- 
mer's  situation  of  not  being  far  from 
death  with  his  own  commencement 
of  a  life's  career:  "And  so  I  begged 
of  him  not  to  let  me  go  through  life 
believing  in  a  vital  falsehood."  The 
thoughtful  law  student  requested 
not  confirmation,  but  disclosure: 
"Was  there  any  possibility  that  he 
might  have  been  deceived  in  any 
particular?"  All  of  his  life  Moyle 
remembered  the  "unequivocal"  af- 
firmation of  the  testimony:  "There 
was  no  question  about  its  truthful- 
ness."26 Entries  made  in  his  diary 
at  the  time  show  that  David  Whit- 
mer gave  the  young  man  the  same 
information  that  he  related  to  scores 
of  others.  As  a  mature  lawyer  and 
administrator,  Moyle  could  not  ac- 
cept the  view  that  David  Whitmer 
misrepresented:  "To  have  been  in- 
sincere seems  impossible,  would 
have  made  him  a  hideous,  soulless 
mental  deformity."27 

David  Whitmer's  grandson  came 
to  the  same  conclusion,  and  no  one 
seems  to  have  been  closer  to  the 
witness  in  his  closing  years  than 
George  W.  Sweich,  a  partner  in 
the  Whitmer  stables  and  private 
secretary  to  David.  He  had  been 
personally  present  at  numerous  in- 
terviews and  had  written  many  dic- 


tated letters  reaffirming  his  grand- 
father's story.  Through  all  of  this 
he  formed  his  personal  appraisal  of 
the  man  he  lived  intimately  with, 
based  in  large  part  on  private  con- 
versation: 

"I  have  begged  him  to  unfold  the 
fraud  in  the  case,  and  he  had  all  to 
gain  and  nothing  to  lose,  but  speak 
the  word  if  he  thought  so.  But  he 
has  described  the  scene  to  me  many 
times,  of  his  vision  about  noon  in  an 
open  pasture.  There  is  only  one 
explanation  barring  an  actual  mira- 
cle, and  that  is  this:  If  that  vision 
was  not  real,  it  was  HYPNOTISM, 
it  was  real  to  grandfather  IN 
FACT."28 

Since  one  cannot  successfully 
challenge  David  Whitmer's  sincer- 
ity, is  there  a  reasonable  alternative 
to  his  own  explanation  of  the  vision? 
Some  have  pointed  out  that  the 
witness  was  as  sure  of  certain  per- 
sonal revelations  as  his  testimony 
of  the  Book  of  Mormon.  While  few 
fail  to  develop  some  overconfidence 
in  their  own  opinions,  David  Whit- 
mer never  put  any  other  incident 
of  his  life  on  the  objective  grounds 
of  sense  experience  to  the  extent 
that  he  did  his  vision  of  the  angel 
and  the  plates.  Yet,  in  explaining 
that  event  as  exceeding  sense  per- 
ception, David  Whitmer  became 
the  target  of  a  few  who  jumped  to 
the  conclusion  that  the  revelation 
involved  no  sense  perception.  For 
instance,  an  interview  of  1880  with 
John  Murphy  of  ,Caldwell  County 
was  published,  and  David  Whitmer 
insisted  that  it  was  erroneous. 
Murphy  had  written  a  tongue-in- 
cheek  report  totally  emphasizing 
the  spiritual  nature  of  the  vision. 
This  undoubtedly  distorted  what 
David  actually  said,  since  Murphy's 
materialistic  philosophy  was  not 
equipped  to  explain  the  miraculous. 
The  point  of  misunderstanding  was 
the  choice  between  a  vision  of  ma- 
terial plus  spiritual  perception  or  a 
vision  of  spiritual  instead  of  mate- 


80 


Improvement  Era 


rial  perception.  The  latter  alterna- 
tive was  too  quickly  picked  by  some 
who  talked  to  both  Martin  Harris 
and  David  Whitmer.  The  Missouri 
witness  answered  Murphy  by  a 
public  statement  "that  I  have  never 
at  any  time  denied  that  testimony 
or  any  part  thereof.  .  .  "29  The 
doubting  Anthony  Metcalf  wrote  to 
David  Whitmer  in  1887  and  raised 
the  same  issue.  The  answer  of  the 
witness  was  a  testimony  of  both 
spiritual  and  physical  elements  in 
the  vision:  "Of  course  we  were  in 
the  spirit  when  we  had  the  view, 
for  no  man  can  behold  the  face  of 
an  angel,  except  in  a  spiritual  view, 
but  we  were  in  the  body  also,  and 
everything  was  as  natural  to  us, 
as  it  is  at  any  time."30 

John  Murphy  also  raised  the  issue 
of  whether  David  Whitmer  had 
been  deceived,  suggesting  "mes- 
merism" and  appealing  to  the  wit- 
ness to  admit  that  his  testimony  was 
a  "delusion."31  In  terms  of  scien- 
tific psychology,  the  only  person 
able  to  answer  this  question  is 
David  Whitmer.  The  possibility 
was  put  to  him  and  ruled  out  many 
times.  In  this  case  he  went  to  the 
trouble  and  expense  of  publishing 
his  "Proclamation,"  repeating  his 
testimony  and  emphasizing  his  con- 
fidence in  his  own  powers  of  ob- 
servation: "'He  that  hath  an  ear  to 
hear,  let  him  hear;'  it  was  no  de- 
lusion!"32 

This  point  is  highlighted  by  an 
incident  during  the  examination  of 
the  Book  of  Mormon  manuscript 
at  the  Whitmer  home  in  1884  by  a 
committee  of  the  Reorganized 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter 
Day  Saints.  Since  this  event  ac- 
quired some  notoriety,  onlookers 
were  often  present,  one  of  which 
was  a  skeptical  Richmond  military 
officer.  The  soldier  discussed  the 
Book  of  Mormon  testimony  with 
the  aging  witness  in  a  cordial  but 
frank  manner,  suggesting  the  possi- 
bility that  Whitmer  "had  been  mis- 


May  1969 


TOTLE 


Sheilah  Graham 

Reports  on  the  exciting  and 

glamorous  Hollywood  scene  —  It's 
informative,  interesting,  fun  reading ! 

Your  family  newspaper 

DESERET  NEWS 


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taken  and  had  simply  been  moved 
upon  by  some  mental  disturbance, 
or  hallucination,  which  had  de- 
ceived him  into  thinking  he  saw" 
the  angel,  plates,  and  other  objects. 
The  immediate  reaction  of  the  wit- 
ness was  described  by  a  spectator, 
Joseph  Smith  III: 

"How  well  and  distinctly  I  re- 
member the  manner  in  which  Elder 
Whitmer  arose  and  drew  himself  up 
to  his  full  height— a  little  over  six 
feet— and  said,  in  solemn  and  im- 


D.   WLIITMSa. 


pressive  tones:  'No  sir!  I  was  not 
under  any  hallucination,  nor  was  I 
deceived!  I  saw  with  these  eyes,  and 
I  heard  with  these  ears!  I  know 
whereof  I  speak!'  **8a 

David  Whitmer's  "positive  and 
emphatic  testimony"  solidly  im- 
pressed the  unbelieving  questioner. 
For  the  sake  of  courtesy,  the  RLDS 
president  left  the  room  with  the 
officer,  who  confessed  the  difficulty 
of  belief  "for  us  everyday  men," 
but  added:  "[0]ne  thing  is  certain 


W.         HWEICH 


THE  OLD  EELIABLE, 

Livery  \  Feed  Stable 


DAYE  WHITMER  k  CO., 

Proprietors, 

Kioscis^roisriD,  nvro. 

ARE  prepared  at  any  and  alt  time?  to  accom- 
modate the  public  with 

Hacks,  Buggies, 

and  Saddle  Horses! 

Will  convey  passengers  to  any 
point  desired  at  a  moments  notice 
Horses  boarded  by  the  day,  week 
or  month,  on  reasonable  terms; 

Customers   may  rely   on    promptness,   good 
turnouts,  safe  horses  and  moderate  charges. 

33-StabLe  near  the  Shaw  House. 

Newspaper  advertisement  for  David  Whitmer's  Richmond,  Missouri,  stable 


—no  man  could  hear  him  make  his 
affirmation,  as  he  has  to  us  in  there, 
and  doubt  for  one  moment  the 
honesty  and  sincerity  of  the  man 
himself.  He  fully  believes  he  saw 
and  heard,  just  as  he  stated  he 
did."34 

No  theme  permeates  the  numer- 
ous Mormon  and  non-Mormon 
interviews  more  than  this  one.  Few 
came  away  unimpressed  with  the 
power  of  David  Whitmer's  convic- 
tion. In  1886  Edward  Stevenson 
visited  him  for  the  second  time  and 
talked  with  the  feeble  octogenarian, 
whose  frame  was  reduced  to  less 
than  a  hundred  pounds.  Reiterating 
his  testimony  "as  sure  as  the  sun 
shines  and  I  live,"  David  Whitmer's 
enthusiasm  had  to  be  restrained  for 
his  own  good.35  Three  years  before, 
Moroni  W.  Pratt  wrote  about  the 
combination  of  mental  alertness 
and  physical  infirmity  of  the  wit- 
ness. During  ordinary  conversation, 
David  would  "falter  a  little,  but 
when  giving  his  testimony  he  would 
straighten  up,  his  voice  would  be 
firm,  his  eye  would  flash,  and  one 
could  feel  that  he  spoke  by  the 
spirit  of  truth."30  Independently  re- 
porting these  identical  details  the 
following  year,  J.  Frank  McDowell 
added:  "He  would  relate  the  scene 
with  a  freshness  and  earnestness  of 
expression,  as  though  it  were  of 
recent  occurrence,  and  not  of  fifty- 
five  years  agone."37 

Since  genuineness  is  better 
judged  by  personal  contact  than 
reading  cold  print,  these  evaluations 
of  the  witness  himself  are  as  im- 
portant as  the  record  of  what  he 
said.  Far  from  having  a  pre- 
packaged statement  about  the  Book 
of  Mormon,  David  Whitmer  spon- 
taneously recalled  a  personal  ex- 
perience that  deeply  moved  him. 
The  believers'  estimates  of  the 
witness  are  fully  substantiated  by 
the  reactions  of  newspaper  report- 
ers, a  class  generally  calloused  to 
empty  sentimentality.    They  mea- 


82 


Improvement  Era 


sured  their  man  during  interviews 
and  also  came  away  impressed.  A 
detailed  and  restrained  report  in  the 
Chicago  Times  contained  the  can- 
did opinion  of  the  interviewer: 
"And  no  man  can  look  at  David 
Whitmer's  face  for  a  half-hour, 
while  he  charily  and  modestly 
speaks  of  what  he  has  seen,  and 
then  boldly  and  earnestly  confesses 
the  faith  that  is  in  him,  and  say  that 
he  is  a  bigot  or  an  enthusiast."38  Joe 
Johnson,  of  the  neighboring  Platts- 
burg  Democrat,  an  astute  political 
analyst,  was  profoundly  affected  by 
the  inner  conviction  of  the  witness. 
While  describing  the  vision,  David's 
cold  symptoms  diminished,  "his 
form  straightened,"  and  with  "evi- 
dently no  studied  effort"  but  with 
"strangely  eloquent"  tones,  he  de- 
scribed the  vision  and  "the  divine 
presence."  The  seasoned  Missouri 
newspaperman  classified  what  he 
heard  as  far  more  than  an  oddity: 
"Skeptics  may  laugh  and  scoff  if 
they  will,  but  no  man  can  listen  to 
Mr.  Whitmer  as  he  talks  of  his  in- 
terview with  the  angel  of  the  Lord, 
without  being  most  forcibly  con- 
vinced that  he  has  heard  an  honest 
man  tell  what  he  honestly  believes 
to  be  true."39 

Those  who  testified  to  the  truth 
of  the  Book  of  Mormon  are  modern 
witnesses  not  only  because  they 
lived  in  recent  time,  but  also  be- 
cause modern  investigation  can 
study  their  experience.  Over  a  hun- 
dred detailed  personal  statements 
and  interviews  with  them  exist, 
about  half  of  which  come  from 
David  Whitmer.  Like  the  others, 
the  modest  but  intense  Missouri 
businessman  admirably  stands  the 
test  of  examination  of  his  person 
and  his  story.  Impeccable  in  repu- 
tation, consistent  in  scores  of 
recorded  interviews,  obviously  sin- 
cere, and  personally  capable  of  de- 
tecting delusion— no  witness  is  more 
compelling  than  David  Whitmer. 
He     answered      every     objection 


thrown  at  him  in  a  half  century  of 
life  in  Richmond,  Missouri,  and  by 
sheer  moral  strength  forced  a  non- 
Mormon  commuity  to  take  him  seri- 
ously. Through  the  miracle  of 
modern  communication,  his  testi- 
mony (and  that  of  the  other  Book 
of  Mormon  witnesses)  now  tran- 
scends a  community  and  confronts 
a  world. 

What  must  be  as  impressive  as 
the  words  of  the  modern  witnesses 
is  their  deep  sense  of  responsibility 
in  reporting  their  experience.  De- 
spite his  vigorous  differences  with 
most  believers  in  the  Book  of  Mor- 
mon, David  Whitmer  insisted  that 
no  one  could  evade  the  challenge  of 
this  modern  revelation:  "Kind  read- 
er, .  .  .  beware  how  you  hastily 
condemn  that  book  which  I  know 
to  be  the  word  of  God;  for  his  own 
voice  and  an  angel  from  heaven 
declared  the  truth  of  it  unto  me,  and 


to  two  other  witnesses  who  testified 
on  their  death-bed  that  it  was 
true."40  Less  than  a  year  after  voic- 
ing this  warning,  David  Whitmer 
added  his  death-bed  testimony  to 
the  historical  recorcl.  These  dramatic 
details  were  published  in  full  by  the 
Richmond  Democrat,  but  more  spe- 
cific closing  words  about  his  experi- 
ence were  given  some  two  weeks 
earlier  to  Angus  Cannon.  Bedridden 
and  "as  helpless  as  a  child,"  the 
octogenarian  was  informed  by 
George  W.  Sweich  that  his  visitor 
wanted  to  hear  his  testimony  of  the 
Book  of  Mormon.  After  a  lifetime 
of  reiteration,  the  moment  was  still 
sacred  to  the  enfeebled  witness. 
Raising  his  hand,  he  declared:  "My 
friend,  if  God  ever  uttered  a  truth, 
the  testimony  I  now  bear  is  true.  I 
did  see  the  angel  of  God,  and  I 
beheld  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  and 
he  declared  the  record  true."41       o 


FOOTNOTES 


1If  noted,  a  statement  of  David  Whitmer  is 
placed  in  the  first  person  instead  of  the  third 
person  of  a  given  report.  Quotations  in  this 
article  are  only  modified  in  regard  to  occa- 
sional spelling  and  punctuation. 

^Letter  of  David  Whitmer  to  Dr.  James  N. 
Seymour,  Dec.  8,  1875,  Richmond,  Mo.,  cit. 
Saints'  Herald,  Vol.  26    (1879),  p.  223. 

3Journal  of  Joseph  F.  Smith;  cit.  Joseph  Field- 
ing Smith,  Life  of  Joseph  F.  Smith  (Salt  Lake 
City,  1938),  p.  242. 

journal  of  Edward  Stevenson,  Dec.  22,  1877. 

"Letter  of  William  H.  Kelley  to  Saints'  Herald, 
Jan.  16,  1882,  Coldwater,  Mich.,  cit.  Saints' 
Herald,  Vol.  29    (1882),  p.  68. 

Vbid. 

^Journal  of  George  Q.  Cannon,  Feb.  27,  1884, 
cit.  Instructor,  Vol.  80  (1945),  p.  520.  Narra- 
tive is  changed  from  third  to  first  person  and 
the  clause  "he  said"  deleted. 

8Reference  at  n.  3.  Parenthetical  definitions 
of   "Directors"    and    "they"    have   been    deleted. 

'■>Omahn-  Herald,  Oct.  17,  1886,  simultaneously 
released  to*  other  dailies.  Narrative  is  changed 
from  third  to  first  person  and  the  clause  "Mr. 
Whitmer  says"   deleted. 

10Interview  notes  of  Zenas  H.  Gurley,  Jan.  14, 
1885;  also  cit.  Autumn  Leaves,  Vol.  5  (1892), 
p.  452. 

"Letter  of  James  H.  Hart  to  Deseret  News, 
Aug.  23,  1883,  Seneca,  Mo.,  cit.  Deseret  Evening 
News,  Sept.  4,  1883. 

12Journal  of  James  H.  Moyle,  June  28,  1885, 
changed  from  third  to  first  person. 

"Journal  of  Nathan  Tanner,  Jr.,  April  13, 
1886,  changed  from  third  to  first  person,  except 
the  first  "me"  is  unchanged. 

"Letter  of  P.  Wilhelm  Poulson  to  Deseret 
News,  Aug.  13,  1878,  Ogden,  Utah,  cit.  Deseret 
-  Evening  News,  Aug.  16,  1878. 

^Chicago  Times,  Oct.  17,  1881. 

lcReference    at  n.    14. 

^Kansas  City  Daily  Journal,  June  5,  1881. 

lsReference  at  n.   11. 

10Reference  at  n.  5. 

^David  Whitmer,  An  Address  to  All  Believers 
in  Christ  (Richmond,  Mo.,  1887),  p.  14. 

21David  Whitmer,  A  Proclamation  (Richmond, 
Mo.,    1881. 


-^Western  Standard,  Feb.  7,  1857. 

23Letter  of  Heman  C.  Smith  to  Saints'  Herald, 
June  28,  1884,  Grand  Prairie,  Tex.,  cit.  Saints' 
Herald,  Vol.   31    (1884),  p.  442. 

-^Reference   at  n.    11. 

25Letter  of  Henry  Moon  to  Joseph  F.  Smith, 
Mar.  7,  1872,  Farmington,  Utah.  Cf.  Moon's 
general  conference  speech,  cit.  Deseret  Evening 
News,  April    10,   1872. 

^James  H.  Moyle,  "A  Visit  to  David  Whit- 
mer," Instructor,  Vol.  80  (1945),  p.  401. 

27Joseph  E.  Cardon  and  Samuel  O.  Rennion, 
Testimonies  of  the  Divinity  of  the  Church  of 
Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints  ( Independence, 
Mo.,  1930),  p.  305. 

^Letter  of  George  W.  Sweich,  Sept.  22,  1899, 
Richmond,  Mo.,  cit.  I.  Woodbridge  Riley,  The 
Founder  of  Mormonism  (London,  1903),  pp. 
219-20. 

^Reference  at  n.  21. 

^Letter  of  David  Whitmer  to  Anthony  Met- 
calf,  March  1887,  cit.  Anthony  Metcalf,  Ten 
Years  Before  the  Mast  [Malad,  Idaho,  1888], 
p.  74. 

^The  Hamiltonian,  Hamilton,  Mo.,  Jan.  21, 
1881. 

S2Reference  at  n.  21. 

MMemoirs  of  Joseph  Smith  III,  cit.  Mary 
Audentia  Smith  Anderson,  Joseph  Smith  HI  and 
the  Restoration  (Independence,  Mo.,  1952),  pp. 
311-12. 

"Ibid. 

35Letter  of  Edward  Stevenson  to  Daniel  H. 
Wells,  Feb.  16,  1886,  New  York  City,  cit.  Mil- 
lennial Star,  Vol.  48  (1886),  p.  156. 

^Letter  of  Moroni  W.  Pratt  to  Bear  Lake 
Democrat,  July  3,  1883,  Covington,  Ind.,  cit. 
Bear  Lake  Democrat,  July  14,  1883. 

37Letter  of  J.  Frank  McDowell  to  Saints' 
Herald,  July  22,  1884,  Olivet,  Iowa,  cit. 
Saints'  Herald,  Vol.  31  (1884),  p.  508. 

^Chicago  Times,  Aug.  7,  1875. 

39Cit.  Richmond  Democrat,  Jan.  26,  Feb.  2, 
1888,  attributed  to  "an  article  written  by  Joe 
Johnson.  .   .   ." 

10 Address  to  All  Believers  in  Christ,  p.  43. 

"Journal  of  Angus  Cannon,  Jan.  7,  1888.  Cf. 
Cannon's  Tabernacle  speech,  cit.  Deseret  Eve- 
ning News,  Feb.  12,  1888. 


May  1969 


83 


51 


I 


mk 


w* 


^ 


mm^ 


gq 


•  Man,  in  the  present-day  world, 
is  subject  to  many  temptations  and 
exposed  to  innumerable  sources  of 
desecration  of  his  body.  Some  of 
these  evils  are  overt  and  easily 
recognized  by  all  of  us;  others  are 
more  subtle  and  insidious.  Among 
the  most  subtle  of  these  are  drugs. 

Through  newspapers,  magazines, 
radio,  television,  and  other  media 
of  communication,  we  have  all  be- 
come increasingly  aware  of  the 
prevalence  and  inherent  dangers  of 
many  drugs,  such  as  marijuana  and 
LSD. 

Of  equal  importance,  but  less 
publicized,  are  the  potential  dan- 
gers of  many  drugs  and  medications 
found  commonly  in  our  homes,  or 
readily  available  to  the  potential 
user.  Some  of  these  are  of  benefit 
to  the  human  body  when  properly 
and  wisely  used,  but  of  possible 
harmful  nature  when  improperly 
used  or  when  taken  in  excess. 

Doctrine  and  Covenants,  Section 
89,  given  by  revelation  to  the 
Church  membership  in  February 
1833,  contains  many  words  of  wis- 
dom. In  addition  to  the  counsel 
pertaining  to  strong  drinks,  hot 
drinks,  and  tobacco,  even  more 
complete    words    of    direction    are 


given  for  the  continued  welfare  of 
man.  In  verses  10  and  11  we  are 
advised : 

"And  again,  verily  I  say  unto  you, 
all  wholesome  herbs  God  hath  or- 
dained for  the  constitution,  nature, 
and  use  of  man— 

"Every  herb  in  the  season  there- 
of, and  every  fruit  in  the  season 
thereof;  all  these  to  be  used  with 
prudence  and  thanksgiving."  (Ital- 
ics added.) 

This  admonition  for  the  sparing 
use  of  herbs  is  of  importance  to  us. 
At  the  time  this  revelation  was 
given,  herbs  were  a  common  and 
popular  means  of  medication.  In 
this  context  it  thus  becomes  a  plea 
for  judicious  use  of  medications 
today. 

No  effort  will  be  made  here  to 
detail  the  dangers  of  those  popu- 
larly known  harmful  drugs  men- 
tioned previously,  but  rather,  let 
us  consider  the  dangers  of  the  less 
well-known  drugs  or  preparations 
and  the  need  for  care  and  modera- 
tion in  their  use. 

Sleeping  pills:  We  live  in  a  fast- 
moving  world,  one  fraught  with 
anxieties,  worries,  pressures,  and 
tensions  in  simply  pursuing  our 
everyday    activities.     Some   of   the 


Dr.  J.  Louis  Schricker,  Jr.,  Gospel  Doctrine  teacher  in  the  Monu- 
ment Park  (Salt  Lake  City)  13th  Ward  Sunday  School,  is  a  neuro- 
surgeon and  is  well-versed  in  problems  attendant  to  the  use  of  drugs. 


pressures  are  readily  dealt  with  and 
disposed  of  in  the  cqurse  of  the  day. 
Others  are  less  readily  resolved  and 
remain  in  our  minds  to  plague  and 
trouble  us. 

Frequently  sleep  is  interfered 
with,  either  by  actual  insomnia  or 
by  light,  restless,  dream-filled  sleep. 
In  such  situations,  it  is  increasingly 
common  for  some  people  to  turn 
to  sleep-inducing  medications  to  at 
least  temporarily  alleviate  the  situa- 
tion. All  of  these  sleep-inducing 
medications  are  potentially  addict- 
ing, and  habituation  is  readily  built 
up,  so  the  body  cries  out  for  relief 
provided  by  the  medications.  Long- 
term  use  of  these  pills  carries  the 
threat  of  addiction  or  habituation. 
In  this  way  the  original  problem 
or  worry  is  complicated  or  sup- 
planted by  a  second  problem  of 
frequently  greater  seriousness.  Man 
thereby  loses  his  independence  and 
becomes  the  slave  of  a  medication. 

One  frequently  hears  the  expres- 
sion, "Yes,  but  this  can't  happen 
to  me.  I'm  careful."  Such .  state- 
ments overlook  the  subtle  workings 
of  these  medications  and  the  fact 
that  dependence  upon  them  is  an 
established  fact  before,  if  ever, 
concern  becomes  part  of  the  aware- 
ness of  the  individual. 

As  is  true  with  all  medications, 
there  are  specific  indications  for 
their    use    and    their   prescription. 


84 


Improvement  Era 


Under  responsible  medical  direc- 
tion, great  assistance  and  benefit 
can  be  obtained  by  proper  and 
moderate  use  of  medicants.  Over- 
stepping the  bounds  of  moderation 
and  medical  direction  carries  great 
danger  and  increased  problems  for 
the  individual.  He  is  no  longer  his 
own  master,  but  becomes  a  slave 
of  a  destructive  habit. 

Tranquilizers:  These  drugs  are 
relatively  new  developments,  and 
until  about  twenty  years  agc^  they 
were  largely  unknown.  However, 
since  then,  the  American  public  has 
been  bombarded  by  an  increasing 
number  of  such  preparations.  Their 
use  has  become  increasingly  wide- 
spread. Again,  these  medications 
are  to  be  used  with  great  care  and 
moderation.  They  are  of  great 
help  when  properly  used  by  the 
individual,  and  in  many  instances 
their  use  aids  in  the  preservation 
of  well-being  and  functional  capa- 
bilities in  certain  persons  who  might 
otherwise  be  virtually  incapacitated 
by  the  weight  of  worries. 

Tranquilizers  are  not  a  substitute 
for  reality.  It  is  still  necessary  for 
the  individual  to  deal  with  the  real- 
ity of  life  and  its  stresses,  to  formu- 
late and  put  into  practice  necessary 
alternatives  in  daily  living  to  allevi- 
ate the  underlying  causative  or 
complicating  factors.  These  drugs 
should   be    wisely    and    cautiously 


used,  and  only  under  adequate 
medical  supervision.  Long  and  con- 
tinued use  of  such  preparations 
should  be  viewed  with  caution  and 
full  awareness  of  inherent,  poten- 
tial dangers. 

"Pep  pills":  For  some  individuals, 
it  has  become  increasingly  "fash- 
ionable" to  depend  upon  artificial 
means  for  increasing  their  pro- 
ductivity. This  is  done  by  the 
injudicious  use  of  various  stimu- 
lants, such  as  Dexedrine  and 
amphetamines.  These  drugs  mask 
or  destroy  built-in  body- warning 
mechanisms  of  fatigue  and  impart 
an  artificial  sense  of  well-being. 
They  are  commonly  used  in  con- 
junction with  sleeping  preparations 
to  counteract  the  "hang-over"  or 
depression  following  use  of  sleep- 
inducing  drugs.  They  subject  the 
physiological  mechanism  of  the  hu- 
man body  to  undetected  and 
masked  stresses  and  strains.  There 
are  well-defined  medical  indica- 
tions for  the  use  of  such  drugs,  and 
these  indications  must  be  scrupu- 
lously observed.  Casual  or  ill- 
advised  use  is  to  be  strongly  decried 
and  advised  against  in  all  situations. 

Diet  pills:  One  of  the  major  con- 
tinuing problems  of  our  culture  is 
obesity.  Most  obesity  results  from 
simply  over-eating  and  over-indul- 
gence by  the  individual.  A  minority 
of  medical  cases  of  obesity  are  due 


to  endocrine  imbalances  or  abnor- 
malities and  are  not  to  be  included 
in  the  present  discussion.  It  is  com- 
mon knowledge  that  obesity  is  a  pre- 
cursor of  many  body  illnesses,  or 
abnormalities.  Among  these  might 
be  considered  heart  difficulties,  di- 
gestive problems,  elimination  prob- 
lems, hardening  of  the  arteries,  and 
reduction  of  vital  reserves.  The 
obese  person  further  complicates 
the  decrease  in  the  efficiency  of  his 
vital  processes  by  decreasing  "his 
physical  activity.  In  this  manner, 
his  body  reserves  decline  to  a  still 
lower  level,  and  body  function  and 
productivity  are  further  impaired. 

Combating  obesity  requires  great 
willpower  and  determination  on  the 
part  of  the  individual.  It  involves 
his  recognition  that  a  potentially 
self-destructive  condition  exists  and 
that  he  must  exert  every  effort  in 
correcting  the  problem.  Willpower 
and  determination  are  not  obtained 
from  pills.  The  use  of  diet  pills  is 
an  admission  of  self-defeat  and  un- 
willingness by  the  person  to  assume 
personal  responsibility  and  ac- 
countability for  his  own  body 
welfare. 

Diet  pills  may,  on  occasion,  be 
prescribed  by  responsible  physi- 
cians in  order  to  assist  in  reversing 
an  insatiable  craving  for  food.  Their 
use,  for  brief  periods  of  time  for 
this  purpose,  in  no  way  relieves  the 


May  1969 


85 


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patient  of  his  individual  responsi- 
bility for  the  regulation  and  con- 
trol of  his  body  and  its  functions. 

In  summary,  we  are  made  in  God's 
image,  and  as  such,  our  bodies  are 
the  most  sacred  temple  we  possess. 
There  are  many  ills  to  which  the 
human  body  is  subjected  that  are 
not  under  the  obvious  control  or 
influence  of  the  individual.  How- 
ever, there  are  many  other  ills  that 
we  bring  upon  ourselves  knowingly 
or  unknowingly.  It  is  this  group 
of  conditions  that  constitutes  a 
desecration  of  the  most  wonderful 
gift  we  possess— our  bodies. 

Unwise  or  ill-advised  use  of  drugs 
is  a  self-destructive  act  on  the  part 
of  the  person  using  them  and  is 
sure  to  result  in  damage  and  dys- 
function of  his  body.  Knowledge- 
able and  moderate  use  of  all  that 
the  Lord  provides  for  us  is  to  be 
recommended  when  directed  by  re- 
sponsible medical  counsel. 

Many  individuals,  including  many 
women,  would  be  well-advised  to 
read  the  revelation  again: 

"Yea,  and  the  herb,  and  the  good 
things  which  come  of  the  earth, 
whether  for  food  or  for  raiment, 
or  for  houses,  or  for  barns,  or 
for  orchards,  or  for  gardens,  or  for 
vineyards; 

"Yea,  all  things  which  come  of 
the  earth,  in  the  season  thereof,  are 
made  for  the  benefit  of  man,  both 
to  please  the  eye  and  to  gladden  the 
heart; 

"Yea,  for  food  and  for  raiment, 
for  taste  and  for  smell,  to  strengthen 
the  body  and  to  enliven  the  soul. 

"And  it  pleaseth  God  that  he  hath 
given  all  these  things  unto  man;  for 
unto  this  end  were  they  made  to  be 
used,  with  judgment,  not  to  excess, 
neither  by  extortion. 

"And  in  nothing  doth  man  offend 
God,  or  against  none  is  his  wrath 
kindled,  save  those  who  confess  not 
his  hand  in  all  things,  and  obey 
not  his  commandments."  (D&C 
59:17-21.  Italics  added.)  ° 


Improvement  Era 


The  "lion  couch"  scene  from  the  Temple  of  Opet,  discussed  in  this  article.  (After 
M.  de  Rochemanteix,  in  Bibliotheque  Egyptologique,  Vol.  3,  [1894].) 


A  New  Look  at  the 

Pearl  of  Great  Price 

Part  8 

(Continued) 


The 
Unknown 
Abraham 

By  Dr.  Hugh  Nibley 


"Abraham's  Offering,"  a  painting  by  Jan  I.  Levens 


•  The  Paradox  of  Abraham  and  the  King:  In  a  recent  'Facsimile  No.  3'  reproduces  a  part  of  the  same  manu- 

translation  and  commentary  on  the  so-called  "Sensen"  script  that  'Facsimile  No.  1'  does,"  and  that  No.  3 

papyrus  of  the  Joseph  Smith  collection    (Era,   Feb.  follows  No.  1  in  normal  sequence.1    This  is  very  im- 

1968,  p.  40-H),  Professor  Klaus  Baer  of  the  Oriental  portant  in  view  of  the  wondrously  strange  interpreta- 

Institute  at  the  University  of  Chicago  pointed  out  "that  tion  given  to  both  vignettes  in  the  Book  of  Abraham, 


May   1969 


87 


'A  growing  number  of  studies 
show  that  'Egyptian  art  is  not 
essentially  a  funerary  art'" 


the  equally  strange  turn  of  events  in  Jewish  Abraham 
traditions,  and  the  peculiar  way  in  which  "lion-couch" 
scenes  of  the  type  of  Facsimile  1  are  regularly  followed 
by  a  coronation  scene  in  the  Egyptian  record  In  the 
Pearl  of  Great  Price  version  we  first  find  Pharaoh's 
agents  somewhere  in  Canaan  trying  to  sacrifice  Abra- 
ham on  an  altar,  and  in  the  next  scene  we  see  the 
hero  not  only  safe  and  sound  but  actually  sitting  on 
Pharaoh's  throne  in  Egypt,  wearing  his  crown  and 
bearing  his  royal  insignia! 

Here,  if  ever,  is  a  paradox.  And  yet  the  same  paradox 
meets  us  in  the  old  stories  of  Abraham's  dealings  with 
Nimrod  and  Pharaoh.  In  one  scene  we  find  both  Nim- 
rod  and  Pharaoh  doing  their  level  best  to  put  Abraham 
to  death,  and  in  the  very  next  scene,  behold,  Nimrod 
and  Pharaoh  are  loading  their  erstwhile  victim  with 
royal  gifts  and  honors!  In  the  Egyptian  presentations 
(to  be  considered  below)  we  are  shown  the  king 
and/or  god  lying  helpless  upon  the  lion-couch,  beaten 
by  his  cruel  rival  and  at  the  very  point  of  death, 
praying  desperately  for  deliverance:  and  in  the  very 
next  scene,  the  scene  that  always  follows,  the  same 
king  is  sitting  safely  restored  and  triumphant  on  his 
throne. 

What  has  brought  about  this  miraculous  turning  of 
the  tables?  In  every  case  it  is  the  same  thing— the 
direct  intervention  of  God,  who  sends  a  delivering 
angel  in  response  to  the  prayer  of  the  man  on  the 
altar.  The  reader  can  study  the  story  for  himself  in 
the  Book  of  Abraham;  now  let  us  see  what  happens 
in  the  Nimrod  legends  and  their  predecessor,  the 
Genesis  Apocryphon. 

Briefly,  this  is  the  story.  Abraham  is  bound  on  a 
specially  constructed  altar  .(to  be  described  herein- 
after) and  raises  his  voice  in  prayer  to  God.  As  the 
priest  brings  the  knife  near  to  the  victim's  throat,  God 
sends  an  angel  who  offers  to  rescue  him  from  his  dire 
predicament;  but  Abraham  refuses  the  preferred  help, 
saying  that  it  is  God  and  God  alone  who  will  deliver 
him.  At  that  moment  God  speaks  to  Abraham,  the 
earth  trembles,  fire  bursts  forth,  the  altar  is  over- 
thrown, the  officiating  priest  is  killed,  and  a  general 
catastrophe  fills  the  land  with  mourning.  All  this  is 
so  close  to  the  Book  of  Abraham  story,  in  which  we 
are  even  told  how  "the  Lord  broke  down  the  altar 
of  Elkenah,  and  of  the  gods  of  the  land,  and  utterly 
destroyed  them,  and  smote  the  priest  that  he  died; 


and  there  was  great  mourning  in  Chaldea,  and  also  in 
the  court  of  Pharaoh  .  .  ."  (Abr.  1:20),  that  one  is 
tempted  to  play  a  game  with  the  reader:  we  have 
deliberately  omitted  all  footnotes  at  this  point— they 
will  come  later— so  that  the  reader  can  amuse  himself 
by  locating  sources  for  the  story  just  told  among  writ- 
ings available  to  Joseph  Smith.    We  know  of  none. 

But  back  to  our  tale  of  wonder,  for  what  happens 
next  is  stranger  yet.  Nimrod,  baffled  in  every  attempt 
to  dispatch  his  arch-rival,  is  convinced  at  last  that 
Abraham  possesses  a  power  greater  than  his,  and 
suddenly  turns  from  cursing  the  prophet  to  honoring 
him,  humbly  soliciting  the  privilege  of  personally 
offering  sacrifices  to  the  God  of  Abraham.  More 
surprises:  Abraham  refuses  the  astonishing  offer,  say- 
ing, "God  will  not  accept  from  thee  after  the  manner 
of  thy  religion."  To  this  Nimrod  replies,  "O  Abraham, 
I  cannot  lay  down  my  kingship,  but  I  will  offer  oxen, 
and  after  that  time  [he]  left  Abraham,  whom  God 
had  delivered  from  his  power,  in  peace."2  Here  we 
have  the  strange  paradox  of  a  king  who  was,  as  the 
Book  of  Abraham  puts  it,  blessed  in  the  kingship  "with 
the  blessings  of  the  earth,  and  with  the  blessings  of 
wisdom,  but  cursed  ...  as  pertaining  to  the  Priest- 
hood." (Abr.  1:26.)  This  puts  everybody  in  an  em- 
barrassing situation:  the  proud  monarch  has  made  an 
unheard-of  concession  to  Abraham,  but  Abraham 
refuses  to  meet  him  half  way— he  cannot  give  him  what 
he  wants.  It  was  a  painful  and  awkward  impasse  to 
which  there  was  only  one  solution:  Nimrod  loaded 
Abraham  with  royal  gifts  and  ordered  his  entire  court 
to  pay  obeisance  to  him,  after  which  "the  king  dis- 
missed Abraham."3  In  the  oldest  version  of  the  story, 
Pharaoh,  after  being  rebuffed  and  offended  by  Abra- 
ham, whom  he  had  "sought  to  slay,"  swears  a  royal 
oath  to  him,  loads  him  with  the  highest  honors,  and 
orders  him  out  of  the  country.4 

We  can  appreciate  the  king's  position,  which  is  well 
explained  in  an  apocryphal  story  of  Joseph  in  Egypt. 
Pharaoh  complains  to  Joseph  that  when  the  two  of 
them  ride  out  together  in  the  royal  chariot,  the  king 
cannot  tell  whether  the  people  are  cheering  him  or 
Joseph.  This  is  an  impossible  situation,  since  there  can 
be  only  one  king  in  Egypt;  and  so  the  Pharaoh  regret- 
fully orders  Joseph  to  descend  from  the  chariot.  Even 
so,  Nimrod-Pharaoh  cannot  deny  that  Abraham's  power 
is  superior  to  his  own,  yet  he  cannot  give  up  his  king- 
ship, nor  can  he  take  second  place  to  any  man  in  his 
own  kingdom.  And  so  he  does  that  strange  and 
paradoxical  thing:  he  bestows  the  highest  honors- 
kingly  honors,  including  a  purple  robe  and  a  royal 
escort— on  his  guest,  and  then  banishes  him  from  the 
country.   Abraham  must  leave,  even  if  he  leaves  with 


88 


Improvement  Era 


the  honors  of  victory  and  the  trappings  of  a  king.  Such  record  "activities  connected  with  the  deceased's  office 

was  the  equivocal  position  and  baffling  behavior  of  a  in  this  world,"1-  in  particular  ( as  we  learn  from  numer- 

ruler  who  was,  according  to  the  Pearl  of  Great  Price,  ous   funerary  steles   and  biographical   tomb  inscrip- 

both  blessed  and  cursed.  tions )     those    occasions    which    brought    him     into 

O,  Dry  Those  Tears:    But  what  about  the  Egyptian  proximity    with    the    Pharaoh— always    the    height   of 

sources?    After  all,  the  facsimiles  are  Egyptian.    First  human  bliss  and  attainment. 

of  all,  we  look,  of  course,  for  lion-couch  scenes,  and  Now  according  to  the  Book  of  Abraham  and  the 

soon  discover  that  they  are  available  in  quantity.    We  legends,  the  Patriarch  enjoyed  at  least  two  significant 

also   discover  that  there  is   quite   a  variety  of  such  contacts  with  Pharaoh,  and  that  is  the  sort  of  thing 

scenes,  of  which  only  a  few  resemble  our  Facsimile  that  no  Egyptian  would  fail  to  immortalize  in  some  sort 

No.  1.    It  is  these  that  interest  us  particularly,  and  it  of  biographical  text— funerary  or  otherwise.    We  learn 

is  gratifying  to  learn  that  a  number  of  highly  quali-  from  Jubilees   (39:6)   that  the  descendants  of  Abra- 

fied  Egyptologists  have  recently  turned  their  attention  ham  living  in  Egypt  used  to  read  his  story  to  their 

to  just  these  particular  items  and  discovered  first  of  children,  and  there  is  no  reason  to  deny  the  many 

all  that  they  are  not  properly  funerary.    Indeed,   a  reports  that  Abraham  did  write  a  biography— a  number 

growing  number  of  studies   are   now  correcting  the  of  early  apocryphal  writings  claim  the  honor  of  being 

"other-worldly"  myopia  of  Egyptological  thinking  in  that  book,  which  is  now  lost.  Could  the  facsimilies  be 

general,  showing  us  that  "Egyptian  art  is  not  essen-  biographical  in  nature?     If  so,  their  obviously  ritual 

tially  a  funerary  art"  but  is  "entirely  oriented  towards  "canonical"  appearance  would  effectively  obscure  the 

the  living,"5  that  rites  performed  for  the  dead  king  fact.    Gardiner  is  suspicious  of  all  "hackneyed  repre- 

were  really  "a  replica  of  the  daily  ceremonial  toilet  sentations"  put  forth  by  the  Egyptians  as  historical 

of  the  living  king,"0  that  even  such  thoroughly  funerary  pictures,  because  they  "may  merely  belong  to  the  world 

stuff  as   the   Coffin  Texts  were   largely  "of   a  non-  of   imagination   and    make-believe."13    By   the    same 

funerary  character,"  and  that  "many,  if  not  all,  of  the  token,  however,  they  may  be  authentic  history;   the 

Coffin  Texts  were  primarily  used  in  this  life.  .   .  ."7  great  battle  and  festival  reliefs,  no  matter  how  hack- 

These  non-funerary  materials  turn  up  in  graves  and  neyed  and  unreliable  in  their  details,  are  at  least  the 
coffins  only  because  they  have  been  adapted  to  the  best  evidence  that  certain  important  battles  and  festi- 
funerary  situation.  Sethe  explains  how  an  old  Helio-  vals  really  did  take  place.  For  all  their  stereotyped 
politan  coronation  text  could  be  converted  into  a  monotony,  they  are  recollections  of  actual  historical 
"typical  text  for  the  dead"  by  describing  the  king's  events.  Likewise,  if  our  facsimiles  seem  rather  con- 
ascension  to  heaven  in  terms  of  his  coronation,8  and  ventional  and  unimaginative,  it  is  because,  as  we  have 
notes  that  though  the  Pyramid  Texts  are  all  found  in  insisted  all  along,  the  events  they  indicate  are  (aside 
tombs,  many  of  them  are  not  Totentexte  at  all  but  from  the  restricting  conventions  of  Egyptian  art)  of  a 
describe  birthday  celebrations,  royal  banquets,  royal  strictly  ritual  nature,  but  that  does  not  prevent  their 
progresses,  etc.9  The  freedom  with  which  the  Egyp-  being  historical  as  well.  The  long-established  article 
tians  borrowed  texts  and  pictures  originally  describing  of  faith,  that  pictures  found  in  tombs  represent  "never 
one  situation  to  illustrate  a  totally  different  situation  the  real  world,  but  only  the  Other  World,  the  land  of 
provides  the  student  with  unlimited  opportunities  for  religious  imagination/'14  must  now  be  abandoned  in 
speculation  and  reconstruction,10  in  which,  to  quote  S.  favor  of  the  proposition  that  most  of  those  pictures 
Schott,  "it  is  often  difficult  to  distinguish  pictures  of  show  things  that  really  took  place  in  the  world  of  the 
this  world  from  those  of  the  eternal  world,  since  death  living. 

itself  passes  as  repetition  of  life'  and  the  dead  partici-  The  "Lion-couch"  Museum:  It  is  a  happy  coincidence 

pate  actively,  especially  in  the  great  festivals,  just  as  that  leading  Egyptologists  should  very  recently  have 

they  would  during  their  earthly  existence."11  Of  par-  chosen  the  lion-couch  motif  as  a  specific  lead  to  >ex- 

ticular  interest  is  the  recent  study  of  A.  Bakir,  who  ploring    the    baffling    relationships    between    history, 

after   examining   the   early   tomb-pictures   in   general  ritual,  and  myth  in  the  Egyptian  record.  Let  us  imagine 

comes  to  the  surprising  conclusion  that  "there  is  no  that  the  most  important  lion-couch   scenes  have  all 

evidence  that  a  connection  is  intended  with  the  here-  been  gathered  together  in  a  single  hall  of  the  museum, 

after.    What  is  intended  is  rather  a  record  of   the  where  we  have  gone  to  view  them.    Dick  and  Jane 

deceased's  activities  in  this  world,  the  purpose  clearly  are   being    conducted   through   the   museum   by    the 

being  to  establish  the  identity  of  the  owner  of  the  tomb,  curator,  Mr.  Jones,  who  shows  them  things  and  tells 

and  to  provide  a  biographical  survey  of  his  achieve-  them   stories.    Mr.   Jones   has   a  handbook   that  tells 

ments."12    It  was  considered  especially  important  to  him  everything. 


May  1969  89 


To  help  readers  understand 
the  complex  issues,  the  author 
gives  explanatory  dialogue 

Dick:  Look,  Jane,  look!  Here  is  a  wonderful  picture 
of  a  man  on  a  bed  that  looks  just  like  the  man  and  the 
bed  in  Facsimile  No.  1. 

Mr.  Jones:  That  is  a  famous  relief,  found  in  the 
temple  of  Opet  at  Luxor. 

Jane:  But  why  is  it  in  this  dark  room? 

Mr.  Jones:  This  is  one  of  three  chambers,  arranged 
(according  to  the  infallible  handbook)  "like  three 
stations  in  the  divine  epoch."1"' 

Jane:  What's  an  epoch? 

Mr.  Jones:  An  important  story.  These  pictures  tell 
a  story.  If  you  will  come  here  to  the  opposite  chamber, 
the  one  on  the  south  side,  after  passing  through  the 
middle  room  (which  has  a  special  meaning  of  its 
own),  you  will  notice  that  it  is  a  counterpart  of  the 
first  room;  only  here,  instead  of  lying  on  a  bed,  the 
man  is  sitting  on  a  throne.  This  is  the  happy  ending  of 
the  story  that  seems  to  be  going  so  badly  in  the  other 
room.  Let  us  go  back  there  again:  According  to 
Professor  Varille,  "a  famous  scene  in  the  sanctuary 
shows  'Osiris  who  is  in  the  midst  of  Thebes'  [that's 
what  he  is  called  in  the  inscription]  in  the  aspect  of  a 
young  man  stretched  on  a  bed  which  had  the  form 
of  a  lion;  he  is  in  the  act  of  reviving."  You  can  tell 
that,  because  he  "begins  to  bestir  himself,  bending  his 
right  arm  and  raising  his  left  foot."10 

Dick:  Why  does  he  hold  his  hand  like  that? 

Mr.  Jones:  Because  he  is  praying  as  well  as  waking 
up.  In  a  little  while  we  shall  read  his  prayer.  Notice 
also  that  the  position  of  the  hand  and  even  the  feet, 
according  to  the  handbook,  is  "the  position  of  prayer."17 
Prayer  is  indicated  whether  the  hands  are  turned  in  or 
out;  the  accepted  way  is  to  show  both  hands  in  the 
same  position.18 

Jane:  This  is  much  nicer  than  the  Abraham  pictures. 
The  hands  there  are  a  mess. 

Mr.  Jones:  Yes.  In  Egyptian  pen-pictures  "the  hand 
is  rarely  drawn  true  to  nature.  ...  In  hasty  drawings 
.  .  .  many  times  .  .  .  there  is  no  means  of  distinguishing 
a  right  hand  from  a  left  hand"— it  is  that  bad.19 

Jane  ( pointing  to  figures  in  the  forecourt ) :  The 
ladies  are  raising  their  hands  like  that,  too.  Are  they 
praying? 

Mr.  Jones:  Some  have  suggested  that  the  hands  of 
the  man  in  Facsimile  No.  1  are  in  the  position  of  "be- 
reavement," but  that  is  silly,  since  the  dead  person  is 
never  the  bereaved.   Look,  sometimes  they're  weeping 


but  not  always :  at  Denderah  the  lady  standing  by  the 
couch  with  her  hand  in  the  same  position  says,  "I  raise 
my  hand  to  protect  thy  members."20  Sometimes  the 
ladies  are  neither  praying  nor  weeping  but  making 
magical  passes  to  restore  the  dead. 

Dick:  Is  the  man  dead? 

Mr.  Jones:  He  is  and  he  isn't;  that's  just  the  wonder 
of  it.  It  says  here  that  the  death  chamber  is  also  the 
birth  chamber,  or  rather  "the  place  where  Osiris  is 
begotten  .  .  .  where  he  dies  to  be  reborn."21  Here 
"death  is  conceived  as  the  beginning  of  a  new  life." 
In  other  words,  the  man  on  the  couch  is  both  the  dead 
king,  Osiris,  and  the  living  king,  Horus.22 

Jane:  How  can  he  be  both?  Who  is  he,  anyway? 

Mr.  Jones:  Perpend.  "The  temporal  father  of  the 
young  Horus  is  Osiris  who  revives  in  his  son,  whose 
spiritual  father,  however,  is  the  life-giving  Anion."23 

Dick:  So  he's  three  people  at  once? 

Mr.  Jones:  He's  more  people  than  that— he's  the  king, 
too!23 

Jane:  That's  silly. 

Mr.  Jones:  No.  The  picture  is  telling  us  more  than 
just  what  happened  at  one  moment.  This  one  picture 
recounts  a  whole  series  of  events.  The  man  on  the 
couch  is  in  great  distress,  he  has  been  beaten  by  his 
enemy,  he  is  on  the  point  of  death;  he  cries  out  to  his 
father  Anion  to  come  to  his  aid,  and  sure  enough,  there 
is  Anion,  the  bird  flying  above  him.  Some  say  it  is 
his  own  soul  returning  to  him,  and  it  can  be  that  also. 
That  is  the  nice  or  annoying  thing  about  Egyptian,  as 
Professor  Speleers  says :  one  thing  can  be  a  number  of 
different  things  at  the  same  time— which  doesn't  make 
very  good  sense  to  us.  But  the  man's  return  to  life  is 
only  part  of  the  answer  to  his  prayer:  notice  that  just 
behind  the  lady  Isis,  a  real  fight  is  going  on.  A  man 
with  the  head  of  a  hawk  is  about  to  club  the  daylights 
out  of  a  contemptibly  small  long-eared  creature  whose 
arms  are  tightly  bound  to  his  sides.  He  is  the  Typho- 
nian  beast,  the  Seth  animal,  Death,  the  arch-enemy  of 
the  man  on  the  couch,  and  he  is  now  about  to  get  the 
same  type  of  punishment  he  handed  out— the  tables 
have  been  turned,  the  prayers  have  been  answered,  the 
hawk  Horus  has  come  to  rescue  his  father  from  death. 
It  is  very  much  the  same  drama  that  meets  us  in 
Facsimile  No.  1. 

Dick:  How  do  you  know  all  that? 

Mr.  Jones:  Because  this  is  not  the  only  lion-couch 
picture.  If  you  will  step  over  here,  you  will  notice  a 
number  of  reliefs  in  which  the  lion-couch  appears  not 
just  in  one  scene  but  in  a  number,  and  also  that  these 
scenes  go  together  and  show  the  unfolding  of  some 
sort  of  ritual  or  drama.  Here  is  the  most  famous  of 
all,  the  series  discovered  by  Mariette  at  Denderah, 


24 


90 


Improvement  Era 


and  here  are  others  from  the  tombs  of  nobles  at 
Thebes,  and  more  from  the  tombs  of  Rameses  IV  and 
Rameses  IX.23  This  should  teach  you  when  you  have 
seen  one  "lion-couch"  scene  not  to  take  it  for  granted 
that  you  have  seen  them  all.  Any  one  of  them  can  be 
understood  only  as  part  of  a  longer  story.  Look,  here 
is  a  coffin  with  three  lion-couch  scenes  on  it,  and  here 
is  another  with  the  same  three  scenes.  Notice  how 
different  the  episodes  are:  in  one  the  mummy  simply 
lies  in  state;  in  the  second,  Anubis  is  working  busily 
over  it;  and  in  the  third,  the  lion  has  started  to  walk 
with  bold  strides;  the  figure  on  the  couch  is  also 
walking,  and  grain  is  springing  up  exuberantly  all 
around  him— a  very  different  story  from  pictures  one 
and  two!2G 

Jane:  It  looks  dark  and  scarey. 

Dick:  This  Opet  room  is  dark  and  scarey  too! 

Mr.  Jones:  It  is  supposed  to  be.  It  "represents  the 
western  heaven  in  which  the  god  is  supposed  to  die 
and  which  will  also  be  the  tomb  in  which  he  will 
rest.  .  .  "27 

Dich  That's  gloomy  enough. 

Mr.  Jones:  Rut  that  isn't  the  whole  story— let  us  read 
on:  "Rut  he  only  dies  in  order  to  be  reborn;  he  falls 
beneath  the  blows  of  his  enemies  only  to  triumph  with 
greater  splendor,"27 

Jane:  Rut  are  these  real  people? 

Mr.  Jones:  This  one  is:  come  over  here  to  this  other 
temple,  the  Temple  of  Seti  I.  Here  you  see  the  very 
same  lion- couch  scene,  only  in  this  case  we  know  that 
the  man  on  the  couch  is  a  real  person;  it  is  King  Seti  I 
himself.  "Seti  I,"  says  the  handbook  ( 1965 ) ,  "dressed 
in  a  shroudlike  garment  .  .  .  stretched  out  on  a  bed 
ornamented  with  lion  heads."28 

Jane:  Why  is  his  face  green? 

Mr.  Jones  ( reading ) :  "The  king's  face  is  shown 
painted  green  because  he  was  considered  dead." 

Dick:  So  he  was  dead  after  all. 

Mr.  Jones:  Not  so  fast!  That  one  word  written  above 
the  bed  is  "Awake!"  And  the  man  is  doing  just  that. 
Here  in  the  lower  register  "the  king  has  turned  from 
Iris  back,  and  the  posture  resembles  that,  of  a  sphinx 
rather  than  a  mummy  or  a  dead  person."28  He  is  just 
about  to  get  up  and  dress,  in  fact,  look  how  "below 
the  bed  there  are  spread  out  the  royal  regalia  .  .  . 
of  which  the  king  would  presently  take  possession 
after  his  rebirth."28  And  what  do  you  think  he  is  going 
to  do  after  he  puts  on  all  that  royal  regalia? 

Dick  and  Jane:  Sit  on  the  throne. 

Mr.  Jones:  Right.  That  is  the  next  act.  Now  look 
at  this  scene.  It  is  the  same  thing  again,  this  time 
much  older,  from  the  great  shrine  of  Niuserre.  Remem- 
ber that  was  a  center  of  Sun-cult,  with  its  imposing 


Hill  of  the  Sunrise,  and  its  altar  of  sacrifice  and  all 
the  rest.29 

Dick:  Just  like  "Potipher's  Hill,"  in  the  Book  of 
Abraham,  eh? 

Mr.  Jones:  It  certainly  looks  like  it.so  Do  you  see 
what  that  suggests?  That  this  lion-couch  business  took 
place  on  just  such  a  great  ritual  occasion  and  at  just 
such  a  place  as  that  described  in  the  Pearl  of  Great 
Price.  The  guidebook  says  this  relief  of  Seti  I  show- 
ing the  king  on  his  back  represents  nothing  less  than 
"the  supreme  moment  of  the  Serf-festival  .  .  .  the 
climax  of  the  festival.  .  .  "31  o 

(To  be  continued) 
FOOTNOTES 

^Klaus  Baer,  in  Dialogue,  Vol.  3  (Autumn,  1968),  p.  127;  cf.  113, 
133f. 

2Quote  is  from  Tha'labi,  Qissas  al-Anbiyah,  p.  55;  sources  in  H. 
Schiitzinger,  Urprung  u.  Entiwicklung  der  arab.  Abraham-Nimrod  Legende 
(Bonn,   1961),  pp.   30f. 

3Pirke  R.  Eliezer,  c.  16c;  other  sources  in  B.  Beer,  Leben  Abrahams, 
p.  18. 

4Cenesis  Apocryphon,  XX,  9.  Pharaoh  seeks  to  slay  Abraham  to  possess 
Sarah  (22);  he  is  told  that  Abraham  cannot  pray  for  him  unless  he  gives 
up  Sarah  (26-27);  he  angrily  complains  that  Abraham  has  tricked  him 
( as  Nimrod  does )  and  orders  him  to  leave  the  country,  but  first  be- 
seeches him  to  give  him  a  blessing  (28),  in  return  for  which  he  heaps 
royal  honors  upon  Abraham  (30-32).  The  Genesis  Apocryphon  repre- 
sents portions  of  one  of  the  original  seven  scrolls  found  near  the  Dead 
Sea  in  1947  that  have  been  translated  and  appear  in  the  book  A  Genesis 
Apocryphon,  by  Nahman  Avigad  and  Yigael  Yadin.  The  book  tells  part 
of  the  story  of  Abraham's  sojourn  into  Egypt. 

BJ.   Capart,   in  Chroniques  d'Egypte,  Vol.   32    (1957),  p.    177. 

eA.  M.  Blackman,  in  Rec.  de  Travaux,  Vol.  39  (1921),  p.  47;  and  in 
Journal  of  Egyptian  Archaeology,  Vol.  5  (1918),  p.  124;  J.  Cerny, 
Ancient  Egyptian  Religion,  p.   102. 

7W.  Federn,  in  Journal  of  Near  Eastern  Studies,  Vol.  19  (1960),  pp. 
245f,  250.    (Italics  added.) 

8K.  Sethe,  Uebersetzung  u.  Kommentar  zu  den  altaeg.  Pyramidentexten 
(Gluckstadt-Hamburg,  1934),  Vol.  1,  pp.  118f,  121. 

Thus  coronation  rites  in  Pyramid  Texts  No.  220:191ff,  222:199-206; 
birthday  celebrations  in  No.  220,  banquets  in  No.  223:214a;  a  royal 
progress  in  No.  223:215b  and  224. 

10Thus,  while  some  say  that  the  famous  Ramesseum  Dramatic  Papyrus 
was  originally  a  coronation  rite  for  Sesostris  I  and  later  adapted  to  the 
funeral  of  Amenemes  I,  others  reverse  the  interpretation:  it  was  Sesostris's 
funeral  and  Amenemes's  coronation!  W.  Helck,  in  Orientalia,  Vol.  23 
(1954),  p.  383;  H.  Altenmueller,  in  Ex  Oriente  Lux,  Vol.  19  (1966), 
p.  440. 

US.  Schott,  Das  schoene  Fest  vom  Wuestentale  (Mainz:  Akad.  der 
Wiss.,  1952),  p.  7.  Quite  recently  it  has  been  shown  that  Papyrus  Salt 
825a,  heretofore  dismissed  as  "a  somewhat  uninteresting  manual  of 
magic,"  actually  "contains  the  remains  of  an  authentic  ritual"  of  con- 
siderable interest  and  importance;  J.  G.  Griffiths,  in  Jnl.  Eg.  Arch., 
Vol.  53  (1967),  p.  186;  H.  Altenmueller,  in  Chron.  d'Egyptol,  Vol.  42 
(1967),  p.  81. 

i2A.  Bakir,  in  Jnl.  Eg.  Arch.,  Vol.  53  (1967),  pp.  159f.  The  "series 
of  depictions"  was  "tantamount  to  the  use  of  narration,"  being  elaborated 
"according  to  the  theme  and  according  to  the  space  available"  (p.  160). 

i»A.  H.  Gardiner,  in  Jnl.  Eg.  Arch.,  Vol.  36  (1950),  p.  7. 

"Ed.  Naville,  Das  Aegyptische  Todtenbuch   (Berlin,  1886),  p.  20. 

15M.  de  Rochemonteix,  in  Bibliotheque  Egyptologique,  Vol.  3  (1894), 
p.  185. 

1BA.  Varille,  in  Annales  du  Service,  Vol.  53  (1955),  p.  111. 

17L.  Klebs,  Reliefs  .  .  .  des  mittleren  Reiches,  VII-XVII  .  .  .  (Heidel- 
berg,  1922),  p.  177. 

1SH.  Mueller,  in  Mitteilungen  des  deutschen  Instituts  in  Kairo,  Vol.  7 
(1937),  pp.  70,  94. 

"Ibid.,  p.  60. 

^Rochemonteix,  op.  cit.,  p.  276. 

^Ibid.,  p.  317. 

-2A.  Varille,  op.  cit.,  p.   110. 

'■'Ibid.,  p.  111.  He  is  Osiris,  Re,  "the  King  himself,"  and  several  ver- 
sions of  Amon,  according  to  Rochemonteix,  op.  cit.,  pp.  272,  274-75. 

-*M.  Mariette,  Dendereh,  IV,  65,  68,  69,  70,  71,  72,  75,  88,  89,  90, 
reproduced  in  R.  V.  Lanzone,  Dizionario  di  Mitologia  Egizia,  V.  Plates 
268ff,  along  with  other  lion-scenes,  and  in  E.  A.  W.  Budge,  Osiris,  N.Y.: 
University  Books,   1961),   Chapter   XV. 

25G.  Maspero,  in  Memoires  de  1'Inst.  Francais  d'archeol.  Orientale  du 
Caire,  Vol.  5  (1894),  p.  446  (Tomb  of  Montouhikhopshouf ) ,  p.  515, 
and   PI.   iii    (Tomb   of  Neferhotpu),   PI.   IX    (Tomb   of  Aba). 

2«J.  Capart  in  Chron.  d'Egypt,  Vol.  19,  p.  195,  figs.  26-28  (Coffin  of 
Moutardis),  29-30    ( Djed-Bastet-Iouf ankh ) . 

27Rochemonteix,  op.  cit.,  p.  268. 

"8E.  Uphill,  in  Journal  of  Near  Eastern  Studies,  Vol.  24  (1965),  p. 
379 

™Ibid.,  pp.  177-78;  H.  Schaefer,  in  Aeg.  Ztschr.,  Vol.  37  (1899),  pp. 
1-9,  and  L.  Borehardt,  ibid.,  Vol.  38,  pp.  94ff. 

™Era,  Vol.  72   (March  1969),  pp.  76ff. 

31Uphill,  op.  cit.,  pp.  377,  379. 


May   1969 


91 


Today's  Family 


It  Will  Never  Be 
1869 -or  1969 -Again 


•  It's  a  wonderful  thing  to  live 
today.  Anything  can  happen,  and 
it  probably  will.  The  transcontin- 
ental railroad  in  1869  and  moon 
flights  in  1969.  Progress?  Yes. 
True  happiness?  Just  perhaps. 

The  children  of  our  pioneers 
worked  hard,  but  they  played  just 
as  hard.  Brigham  Young  believed 
in  work  and  rest  and  play.  Our 
emphasis  today  is  on  less  work 
and  more  leisure.  This,  too,  can 
be  good  if  we  make  it  so.  Leisure, 
a  gift  of  our  times,  can  be  life- 
enriching,  it  can  be  growth-pro- 
ducing, and  it  can  be  knowledge- 


By  Florence  B.  Pinnock 
Today's  Family  Editor 

gaining.  The  answer  is  up  to  us. 
Brigham  Young  would  travel 
three  weeks  by  horse  and  wagon 
to  reach  St.  George;  today  five 
hours  by  automobile  will  span 
this  distance.  Time  flies  so  fast 
now  because  we  are  able  to  cram 
so  much  into  each  24  hours.  A 
pioneer  mother  would  arise  early 
and  dress  completely.  It  would 
take  much  longer  then  with  the 
added  slips  and  tiny  buttons. 
Next  she  would  bring  in  the 
wood,  make  a  fire,  go  outside  to 
the  pump  for  water,  heat  it  on 
the  wood  fire,  and  then  start  pre- 


paring the  family's  breakfast. 

Today,  in  this  same  time  of 
three  hours,  we  can  arise,  dress, 
prepare  breakfast,  wash,  dry,  and 
fold  away  three  batches  of  cloth- 
ing, vacuum  the  living  room,  and 
straighten  the  entire  house.  In 
1869  ironing  was  a  lengthy 
process.  In  winter  and  summer  a 
hot  fire  was  needed  to  heat  the 
heavy  irons.  Ironing  in  the  Lion 
House  (President  Young's  home) 
was  done  mostly  at  night  by  a 
different  group  of  women  than 
those  who  had  washed  the 
clothes. 


92 


Improvement  Era 


rat*    ",  ~  TT-m  - 


Washing  clothes  in  1869  was 
a  major  all-day  operation.  It  en- 
tailed carrying  water,  heating  it, 
sloshing  clothes  around  by  hand 
with  a  wooden  dollie  or  paddle, 
rinsing  by  carrying  more  water 
and  filling  more  tubs,  starching, 
then  wringing  each  piece  out  by 
hand.  Starch  was  made  at  home 
from  potatoes.  In  winter  as  well 
as  summer,  the  clothes  must  be 
hung  outside  to  dry. 

In  those  days  the  large  meal  of 
the  day  was  served  at  noon,  and 
a  big  fire  in  the  kitchen  range  was 
needed  all  morning   in  any   sea- 


son. With  no  refrigeration,  food 
was  stored  in  a  cool,  dirt  basement 
or  in  a  stone  spring  house.  In 
the  early  days,  food  costs  were 
high.  Today  we  complain  about 
food  prices,  but  none  of  us  has 
ever  paid  one  dollar  a  pound  for 
flour  or  received  just  three 
pounds  of  sugar  for  one  dollar, 
as  in  pioneer  days. 

The  home  had  to  produce  the 
food  for  the  table.  Raisins 
didn't  come  in  packages.  Grapes 
were  dried  for  weeks  in  attics  to 
give  this  special  treat.  Peaches 
were  preserved  by  drying  in  the 
sun.  Just  imagine  the  fly  prob- 
lem! 

With  sugar  so  scarce,  the  pio- 
neers longed  for  sweets.  One 
was  made  by  mashing  peaches  to 
a  pulp,  then  adding  a  very  small 
amount  of  sugar  and  spreading 
the  mixture  out  in  thin  layers  on 
a  clean  cloth.  It  would  be  left 
for  some  time  to  dry  in  the  sun 
and  then  cut  into  small  pieces. 
We  are  told  that  this  "peach 
leather"  was  chewy  and  really 
delicious.  Candies  were  made 
mostly  from  molasses.  Children 
chewed  a  spruce  gum,  and  some 
seemed  to  enjoy  chewing  a  shoe- 
maker's wax. 

When  milk  and  cream  were 
plentiful,  ice  cream  was  made  by 
putting  custard  in  a  pail  with  a 
tight  lid,  then  setting  it  in  a  larger 
pail.  This  was  covered  with  salt 
and  ice,  and  the  children  would 
take  turns  twisting  and  turning 
the  inner  pail  until  ice  cream  re- 
sulted. Absolutely  nothing  would 
taste  as  good  on  a  hot  summer 
day.  But  it  was  much  easier  to 
come  by  the  ice  in  the  winter,  so 
that  was  the  time  this  dessert 
would  usually  be  made  and  en- 
joyed in  front  of  a  flaming  fire. 

Brigham  Young  was  especially 
fond  of  squab,  and  raised  them 
for  the  table.  A  typical  break- 
fast for  him  would  be  cornmeal 


mush,  hot  doughnuts  and  syrup, 
codfish  gravy,  squab,  and  straw- 
berries in  season.  His  only  hot 
drink  was  a  composition  tea  made 
from  herbs  and  spices. 

Before  the  coming  of  the  rail- 
road, all  of  the  clothes  were  a 
product  of  the  home.  Brigham 
Young's  motto  was,  "Let  home 
industry  produce  every  article  of 
home  consumption."  When  a 
woman  needed  a  new  dress,  she 
took  the  wool  from  the  backs  of 
sheep  grazing  close  by,  and 
washed,  carded,  spun,  dyed,  and 
wove  it  into  cloth.  Then  she  cut 
and  sewed  it  by  hand.  She  was 
really  a  woman  of  many  trades. 
We  are  told  that  in  Brigham 
Young's  sitting  room,  five  hun- 
dred yards  of  cloth  would  be 
woven  in  one  season.  There  were 
really  no  idle  hands  in  those  days, 
no  time  just  to  sit. 

After  the  cloth  was  woven,  it 
must  be  dyed  to  make  it  attrac- 
tive. In  order  to  make  the  dye, 
the  pioneers  experimented  with 
various  roots  and  barks.  The 
barks  were  boiled  and  the  liquid 
run  through  a  sieve,  after  which 
it  was  treated  with  blue  vitriol  and 
alum  so  it  would  harden  and  set. 
Red  dye  was  made  from  madder 
root,  yellow  from  rabbit  bush, 
and  blue  from  Dixie  indigo.  Dif- 
ferent shades  were  produced  by 
combining  these  colors.  Imagine 
doing  this  without  the  benefit  of 
rubber  gloves! 

It  was  about  this  time  that 
Brigham  Young  advocated  that 
dresses  be  made  from  five  to 
seven  yards  of  cloth  instead  of  the 
fashionable  ten  yards.  By  the 
1860's,  woolen  mills  began  oper- 
ating in  different  parts  of  the 
territory,  and  the  hand  looms 
were  moved  out  of  the  living 
rooms.  But  the  spinning  wheel 
continued  in  use  for  years  in  order 
to  make  the  yarns  for  knitting. 

It  is  difficult  to  imagine  life  in 


May  1969 


93 


1869  because  the  contrast  with 
1969  is  so  sharp:  penicillin  and 
antibiotics  in  1969;  teas  made  of 
herbs,  camphor,  ipecac,  mustard, 
asafetida  in  1869,  sheets  hung 
over  doorways  to  stop  germs,  and 
raw  onions  to  absorb  poisons. 

Again,  there  is  a  sharp  con- 
trast in  the  educational  systems  of 
yesterday  and  today.  Then  it  was 
a  privilege  not  afforded  to  all  to 
attend  school.  The  University  of 
Utah  was  first  called  "Parents 
School"  and  was  opened  in  1850. 
Each  quarter  eight  dollars  in 
produce  was  taken  in  lieu  of 
money. 

Home  building  and  care  was 
so  different  then.  Today  interior 
decorators  are  often  called  into 
a  house  to  make  it  beautiful;  in 
pioneer  days  even  the  paint  was 
made  at  home.  We  are  told  of 
one  mother  who  mixed  milk,  red 


lead,  and  lamp  black  together, 
strained  it,  and  with  it  painted  all 
the  walls  of  her  house. 

The  name  "servant"  was  no 
more  popular  then  than  now.  In 
1869,  hired  helpers  were  just 
called  men  and  women  who 
helped  with  work  in  the  home. 
There  was  a  dignity  to  this  work; 
the  person  was  included  in  the 
family  circle.  A  mother  today 
may  well  envy  those  dear  people 
of  the  past  who  carried  much  of 
the  manual  labor  in  the  home. 
Often  the  prefix  of  "Aunt"  was 
given  to  a  woman  in  this  position. 

Recreation  was  even  more  a 
necessity  in  those  days  of  haroj. 
work.  The  pioneers  from  the  time 
of  crossing  the  plains  dedicated  a 
portion  of  their  day  to  entertain- 
ment. To  read  and  hear  tell  of 
their  parties  and  dramas  and  pic- 
nics breeds  a  longing  to   live  in 


that  time.  Homes  were  used  for 
parties,  candy  pulls,  corn  husk- 
ings,  spelling  bees,  and  apple 
dunkings;  all  added  up  to  fun. 
One  of  the  first  socials  in  the  val- 
ley of  which  there  is  a  record  took 
place  on  Christmas  night  in  1850 
at  Brigham  Young's  mill.  This 
party  lasted  all  night.  Supper 
was  served  at  midnight,  and 
everyone  danced  until  5  a.m., 
when  the  party^broke  up. 

In  1852  the  Social  Hall  was 
built.  A  party  was  given  there  by 
Brigham  Young  beginning  at  2 
p.m.,  with  supper  at  6  p.m.  and 
refreshments  again  at  midnight. 
President  Young  was  said  to  be 
an  excellent  dancer,  and  he  en- 
joyed the  activity.  Dances  were 
held  often  in  meetinghouses,  and 
tickets  were  paid  for  in  produce. 
The  larger  parties  were  held  in 
the  Salt  Lake  Theatre  after  it  was 


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BERNINA  IMPORTERS 

70  South  Orchard  Drive 
North  Salt  Lake,  Utah  84054 

NAME    


ADDRESS. 
CITY 


I 


STATE ZIP | 


94 


Improvement  Era 


completed  in  1862.  A  temporary 
floor  could  be  laid  over  the  tops 
of  the  seats  and  was  the  same 
height  as  the  stage.  The  parties 
would  be  elegant,  with  the  beauti- 
ful decorations  of  the  theater. 

Going  to  the  theater  was  the 
top  entertainment  of  that  day. 
Entire  families  would  go  together, 
but  to  discourage  babies  in  arms 
from  attending  and  disturbing  the 
plays,  they  were  charged  an  ad- 
mittance of  ten  dollars  each. 
Receipts  at  the  door  were  any- 
thing of  value,  from  a  string  of 
sausages  to  dried  peaches.  The 
story  is  told  of  one  man  bringing 
a  turkey  and  getting  two  spring 
chickens  in  change.  Surely  he 
didn't  have  to  accept  his  change 
until  he  was  leaving  the  theater! 

Picnics  were  popular  and  were 
usually  held  at  the  two  extremes 
of  the  valley,  either  at  Black  Rock 


on  the  shores  of  Great  Salt  Lake 
or  up  one  of  the  canyons  to  the 
east.  These  were  family  affairs, 
including  babies,  grandparents, 
and  everyone  in  between.  Bathing 
suits  were  homemade,  with  an  eye 
to  modesty.  The  girls  would  wear 
hose,  pantalettes,  and  dresses, 
and  the  boys  shirts  and  overalls. 
Bathing,  as  it  was  called,  was  a 
popular  pastime. 

There  was  not  a  house  in 
the  valley  where  strangers  were 
not  welcome  if  they  conformed 
to  Church  standards.  Brigham 
Young  would  much  rather  have 
others  in  to  dinner  at  his  home 
than  go  out.  Some  say  this  was 
because  he  was  so  fastidious;  he 
liked  everything  clean.  He  was 
meticulous  in  his  habits  and  ex- 
pected those  around  him  to  be 
the  same.  The  men  who  did  the 
milking   must   always   wash    their 


hands  first,  and  anyone  working 
in  the  kitchen  knew  the  constant 
use  of  soap  and  water. 

When  the  Lion  House  was 
built,  in  order  to  keep  it  free  from 
mice,  President  Young  had  a 
small  square  opening  left  in  the 
foundation  on  the  east  side  so 
that  cats  might  come  and  go  at 
their  will.  And  the  garbage  was 
carefully  put  in  a  six-foot  square, 
covered  box  near  the  kitchen 
door.  It  was  sunk  about  nine 
inches  in  the  ground,  with  an 
outlet  in  the  bottom  that  emptied 
into  the  cesspool. 

Daily  baths  were  unthought 
of,  and  weekly  baths  were  no 
small  accomplishment.  Water  was 
brought  from  the  pumps  to  fill 
large  copper  boilers  placed  on 
the  kitchen  stove.  Big  wash  tubs 
were  brought  in,  and  as  soon  as 
the  water  was  warm,  it  was  trans- 


Melvin  P.  Randall 

Manager,  L.D.S.  Department 
294-1025 


THE  LEADING   L.D.S.   FUNERAL   DIRECTORS  OF  SOUTHERN   CALIFORNIA 

Every  L.D.S.  service  personally  ar- 
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Regardless  of  where  you  own  cemetery 
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Los  Angeles,  Phone  213-749-4151 


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Associate      838-3956 


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249-3511 


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254-1212     Associate 


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Ideal  for  Home,  Classroom, 
Missionary  Use, 
Advancement  Seminars, 
or  as  Gifts 


50c  a  copy 

40c  a  copy  for  25  or  more 

Order  from  The  Improvement  Era 

79  S.  State  •  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah  84111 


May  1969 


95 


Put  the  magic  of 
Sugarplum  Land 
in  your  meals!  w 


aft' 


a 


SUGAR 


Suggests  this 
simply  delicious 
dessert  for 
family  raves 


FLUFFY  ;M 

COCOA    ItaJr 
CAKE       lr- 


1  cup  U  and  I 

SUGAR 
Vi  cup  shortening 
1  egg 
Vz  cup  cocoa 


V2  cup  hot  water 
IV2  cups  flour 
1  teaspoon  soda 
Va  teaspoon  salt 
%  cup  buttermilk 


Cream  sugar  with  shortening  and 
egg;  dissolve  cocoa  in  hot  water;  set 
aside  to  cool;  sift  flour,  soda  and 
salt  together.  Combine  lA  of  sifted 


dry  ingredients  to  creamed  mixture. 
Stir  in  buttermilk.  Add  another  V3  dry 
ingredients,  then  water-cocoa  mixture, 
ending  with  remainder  of  dry  ingredients. 
Avoid  overbeating.   Bake  in  greased  and 
floured  9-inch-square  pan  at  350°  F  for 
40  minutes.   Serve  with  whipped  cream 
flavored  with  a  dash -of  cinnamon  and 
sweetened  with  U  and  I  powdered  sugar. 


Ipl 


Where  is  Sugarplum  Land?  It's  all  around  you  if  you  live 
where  sugarbeets  are  grown.   U  and  I  Sugar  sweetens  the 
economy  of  these  areas. 

U  and  I  SUGAR  COMPANY        Factories  in  Garland  and  West  Jordan,  Utah; 
near  Idaho  Falls,  Idaho;  Moses  Lake  and  Toppenish,  Washington. 


96 


ferred  to  them,  and  the  boilers  on 
the  stoves  were  refilled.  When 
one  thinks  of  the  large  number  of 
people  who  lived  in  the  Lion 
House,  this  procedure  seems  al- 
most impossible. 

Brigham  Young  was  modern 
in  the  way  he  liked  his  hair  cut — 
by  singeing  the  ends,  never  by  us- 
ing the  scissors.  He  would  pay 
for  haircuts  with  a  pail  of  butter- 
milk. 

The  Lion  House  usually  held 
about  twelve  families,  and  when 
the  families  grew  too  large,  they 
were  moved  to  individual  homes. 
There  were  20  bedrooms  in  the 
upper  floor  of  the  Lion  House, 
each  with  a  window  of  its  own. 
The  basement,  stone  flagged,  was 
a  busy  place.  Along  the  west  was 
a  dining  room,  where  50  people 
sat  down  at  every  meal.  Beyond 
the  dining  room  were  butteries, 
kitchen,  and  laundry.  Food  was 
stored  in  the  east  side  of  the  base- 
ment. Steel  hooks  were  in  the 
walls  for  pulling  candy.  The 
north  end  was  the  schoolroom, 
which  was  also  used  as  a  recrea- 
tion room  for  parties  and  dra- 
matics. A  gymnasium  was  added 
along  the  west  side  of  the  house, 
and  contained  horizontal  and 
straight  ladders,  bars,  jumping 
ropes,  roller  skates,  and  dumb- 
bells for  the  use  of  the  families. 
Fencing  and  dancing  lessons  were 
also  taught  here. 

Brigham  Young  liked  coopera- 
tive living,  and  wished  groups  of 
one  thousand  people  would  join 
together  and  live  that  way.  He 
believed  that  was  a  much  more 
efficient  and  enjoyable  way  to 
live.  Perhaps  that  would  be  so  if 
each  group  had  a  Brigham  Young 
as  its  leader.  There  was  a  close- 
ness and  a  feeling  of  love  in  the 
Young  families.  About  7  o'clock 
each  night  President  Young 
would  come  to  the  parlor  of  the 
Lion     House     and     say    quietly, 


Improvement  Era 


^Time  for  prayers."  Then  he 
would,  ring  a  bell  three  distinct 
times,  and  the  families  would, 
gather  to  discuss  topics  of  the  day, 
sing,  and  then  kneel  down  in 
prayer,  led  by  him.  One  night  at 
the  end  of  the  hour  he  gave  each 
child  a  ten-cent  bill,  and  never 
again  would  one  miss  this  family 
time  for  fear  of  missing  a  special 
treat. 

Whenever  anyone  went  out 
for  the  evening,  that  person  took 
his  own  lamp,  lighted  it,  and 
placed  it  on  a  table  near  the  vesti- 
bule. When  he  returned,  he 
carried  his  lamp  back  to  his  own 
room.  The  one  who  returned  last 
would  find  but  one  lamp  burning, 
his  own,  so  he  would  lock  the 
door  for  the  night.  Everyone  in 
the  home  was  loved  and  ac- 
counted for  at  all  times. 

There  should  be  a  marriage  of 
a  sort  between  now  and  then.  All 
the  good  that  was  theirs  can  be 
ours,  plus  all  the  progress  and 
richness  of  the  last  100  years. 
What  a  wonderful  "now"  to  live 
in — -instant  light,  instant  flight, 
instant  heat  and  cool,  instant 
clothes  and  food,  and  instant  rec- 
reation are  all  ours.  Their  life 
was  tranquil,  ours  a  "sock-it-to- 
me" existence.  Our  life  depends 
perhaps  too  much  on  miracles  of 
men;  theirs  was  almost  a  total  de- 
pendence on  miracles  of  their 
Maker.  Character  and  love  and 
happiness  can  be  attained  both 
ways.  It  all  depends  upon  the 
individual  and  his  values.  What  a 
challenge  in  1969  and  the  cen- 
tury ahead! 

Recipes  of  Yesteryear 

Sourdough  Starter 

Combine  flour,  water,  and  salt  in  a 
crock.  Place  in  a  warm  place  and  let  set 
until  it  ferments  and  bubbles.  Each  time 
this  basic  dough  is  used,  hold  back  one 
cup  and  add  more  flour  and  water  and 
leave  in  a  warm  place  to  become  suffi- 
ciently sour  for  the  next  use. 


Barley  Coffee 

Brown  barley  in  a  thin  layer  in  a  large 
pan  in  the  oven.  Grind  and  store  in 
covered  tins. 

Mormon  Gravy 

3  or  4  tablespoons  meat  drippings 

4  tablespoons  flour 
21/?   cups  milk 

Salt  and  pepper  to  taste 

Add  flour  to  the  melted  fat  and  brown 
slightly.  Add  the  milk  slowly,  stirring 
well  to  blend.  Cook  until  mixture  thick- 
ens and  bubbles  up.  Season  to  taste, 
and  serve  over  biscuits,  toast,  corn- 
bread,  or  potatoes. 

Milk  Toast 

Toast  thin  slices  of  bread.  Butter  well 
and  pour  hot  milk  over  it.  Season  with 
salt  and  pepper. 

Sops 

Break  up  dried  bread  into  a  bowl,  pour 
boiling  water  over,  then  drain  off  excess 
water;  add  sugar  and  cream,  and  serve 
while  still  hot. 

Johnny  Cake 

2  cups  buttermilk  or  clabber 
2  cups  cornmeal 
Yz   cup  flour 
1  teaspoon  soda 
1  teaspoon  salt 
1  tablespoon  molasses 
1   cup  cracklings  (crisp  bits  of  fat  after 

the  lard  had  been  rendered  from 

them) 

Put  the  soda  in  the  sour  milk  or  butter- 
milk, and  while  it  is  foaming,  stir  in  the 
other  ingredients.  Pour  into  a  dripper 
and  bake  in  a  moderate  oven  for  about 
30  minutes. 


Horehound  Candy 

Boil  2  ounces  of  dried  horehound  in  3 
cups  water  for  30  minutes.  Strain  and 
add  3  pounds  of  brown  sugar;  boil  until 
sufficiently  hard;  pour  out  on  flat,  well- 
greased  tins,  and  mark  into  sticks  or 
small  squares.  Break  into  pieces  when 
hard  and  crisp. 

Brigham  Young's  Recipe  for 
Composition  Tea 

4  ounces  each  of  ground  bayberry, 
poplar  bark,  and  hemlock 

2  ounces  each  of  ground  ginger,  cloves, 
and  cinnamon 

1   ounce  cayenne  pepper 

Mix  all  ingredients  together  and  store  in 
tightly  covered  container  in  a  dry  place. 
When  preparing  the  drink,  take  a  small 
bit  of  this  mixture  on  the  end  of  a 
teaspoon  and  fill  cup  with  hot  water. 
Use  plenty  of  cream  and  sugar.  o 


May   1969 


Summer 
Love 


Drip  dry, 
little  or 
no  ironing 


Young  and  romantic  as  moonlight,  this  new 
gown  and  peignoir  is  designed  for  brides,  and 
for  every  woman  in  love  with  beauty.  Lace 
patterned  50%  Cotton  &  50%  Polyester  leno 
with  wide  lace  inserts  and  edgings.  Adjustable 
waistlines.  Chalk  White.  Choose  Pink  or  Blue 
Nylon  Satin  sashes.  Gown  skirt  fully  lined. 
Gown  9540.  Peignoir  9840.  Sizes  -  P,  S,  M,  L. 


Mail  Order  price 

$17.00 


See  Your  Local 
LeVoy  s  Consultant 

or 
Mall  Check  or  M.O. 
Postpaid  In  U.S.A. 


tM 


.>■ 


2511  S.W.  Temple  •  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah  84M5 


97 


The  Presiding  Bishop 
Talks  to  Youth  About 


What  s  in  a  Name 

By  Bishop  John  H.  Vandenberg 


•  A  wise  father  once  counseled 
his  son,  who  was  entering  military 
service,  with  these  words:  "Son,  as 
you  leave  home  you  will  find  that 
you  will  be  on  your  own;  you  will 
make  your  own  decisions.  Re- 
member, as  you  go,  that  you  bear 
my  name.  I  have  tried  to  conduct 
my  life  in  such  a  way  that  I  would 
not  tarnish  or  bring  shame  to  it.  I 
expect  the  same  of  you." 

The  scriptures  record  similar 
counsel  given  anciently  by  another 
wise  father.  Helaman,  one  of  the 
great  Nephite  chief  judges,  named 
his  two  sons  after  their  forefathers 
Lehi  and  Nephi.  As  these  two 
men  were  about  to  devote  them- 
selves to  the  labors  of  missionary 
work,  "they  remembered  the  words 
which  their  father  Helaman  spake 
unto  them.  And  these  are  the 
words  which  he  spake: 

"Behold,  my  sons,  I  desire  that 
ye  should  remember  to  keep  the 
commandments  of  God;  and  I 
would  that  ye  should  declare  unto 


the  people  these  words.  Behold, 
I  have  given  unto  you  the  names 
of  our  first  parents  who  came  out 
of  the  land  of  Jerusalem;  and  this 
I  have  done  that  when  you  remem- 
ber your  names  ye  may  remember 
them;  and  when  ye  remember 
them  ye  may  remember  their 
works;  and  when  ye  remember 
their  works  ye  may  know  how  that 
it  is  said,  and  also  written,  that 
they  were  good. 

"Therefore,  my  sons,  I  would 
that  ye  should  do  that  which  is 
good,  that  it  may  be  said  of  you, 
and  also  written,  even  as  it  has 
been  said  and  written  of  them." 
(He.  5:5-7.) 

Every  young  man  and  woman 
has  a  name  that  he  or  she  should 
honor.  Our  name  represents  us 
before  our  fellowmen;  it  comes 
to  stand  for  what  we  are.  Our  task 
is  to  make  it  represent  that  which 
is  clean,  wholesome,  and  good. 

Throughout  history  names  have 
always    had    special    significance. 


During  the  early  Roman  period 
young  men  were  never  given  a 
personal  name  until  they  took  the 
toga  virilis,  or  garb  of  manhood. 
These  personal  names  had  special 
meanings  and  were  selected  to  de- 
note the  character  of  the  young 
man.  In  the  scriptures  we  find  the 
Lord  changing  the  names  of  faith- 
ful men,  challenging  them  to  even 
greater  things.  Such  was  the  case 
with  Abram,  who  was  renamed 
Abraham — "the  father  of  a  multi- 
tude"— and  with  Jacob,  who  be- 
came known  as  Israel — "prince  of 
God." 

To  honor  your  name,  you  do  not 
need  to  accomplish  feats  that  will 
win  the  applause  of  great  masses 
of  people;  rather,  you  should  so 
live  that  your  example  influences 
others  to  do  good.  It  is  usually 
the  seemingly  small  and  simple 
things  that  ultimately  bring  honor 
to  your  name.  The  life  of  Jesus  is 
filled  with  instances  in  which  the 
Master  performed  deeds  that  went 


98 


Improvement  Era 


unheeded  in  the  eyes  of  the  sophis- 
ticated intellectuals  of  his  day. 
President  David  0.  McKay  has 
said,  ".  .  .  in  none  of  the  realms  in 
which  men  and  women  ordinarily 
win  their  laurels  do  you  find  his- 
torians referring  to  Christ  as  hav- 
ing succeeded."  (Secrets  of  a 
Happy  Life,  p.  99.) 

You  can  best  bring  honor  to  your 
name  by  performing  simple  acts  of 
kindness,  such  as  honoring  those 
who  have  given  you  their  good 
name.  Some  people  occasionally 
overlook  this  opportunity  to  honor 
their  parents.  At  times  some  youth 
who  are  pleasant  with  friends  and 
associates  occasionally  become 
moody,  even  childish  and  disre- 
spectful to  parents  at  home.  It  is 
a  mark  of  maturity  when  a  person 
is  cheerful  and  pleasant  in  his 
home  and  respectful  to  his  parents 
and  family  members.  By  being 
pleasant  and  kind  in  his  home,  a 
young  person  can  bring  honor  to 
his  name  among  those  who  mean 
most  in  his  life — his  parents  and 
family. 

You  should  guard  your  name 
from  any  unclean  thing.  You 
should  never  soil  it  with  unclean 
speech,  rudeness,  haughtiness,  or 
unwholesome  conduct.  Your  name 
will  become  a  label  for  what  you 
are.  Just  as  the  names  Judas, 
Jezebel,  and  Hitler  are  identified 
with  evil,  and  just  as  the  names 
Jesus,  Moses,  and  Lincoln  are  as- 
sociated with  righteousness  and 
greatness,  so  your  name  will  come 
to  signify  the  type  of  person  you 
are.  Your  name  not  only  identifies 
who  you  are;  it  also  denotes  what 
you  are.  What  your  name  stands 
for  should  be  of  great  importance 
to  you. 

You  can  honor  your  name  by 
doing  as  Helaman  counseled  his 
sons:  ".  .  .  do  that  which  is  good, 
that  it  may  be  said  of  you,  ...  as 
it  has  been  written  of  them" — 
namely,  "that  they  were  good."     o 


May   1969 


More  than  100  years 
of  fashion  leadership 

For  more  than  100  years,  we  have  presented  the 
newest,  most  becoming  of  women's  fashions.  Come 
in.  See  the  latest  in  style,  fabric,  color.  Convenient 
payment  terms  arranged,  delivery  in  our  wide  deliv- 
ery area.  Personal  shopping  service,  write  to  Box 
1465. 


State  and  Broadway,  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah  841 10 
2457  Washington  Blvd.,  Ogden,  Utah  84401 


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Write  to 

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Buffs 

and  Rebuffs 


Book  of  Mormon  Witnesses 

"The  Life  and  Times  of  Martin  Harris" 
and  "The  Certainty  of  the  Skeptical  Wit- 
ness" in  the  March  issue  were  just  great. 
I  want  to  thank  you  for  all  the  spiritual 
reading  you  have  been  printing  of  the 
witnesses  to  the  Book  of  Mormon.  Please 
continue  giving  us  history  and  informa- 
tion on  the  great  leaders  of  the  Church. 
This  gives  me  a  spiritual  uplift  and 
strengthens  my  testimony  of  the  gospel 
even  more. 

The  Era  is  such  a  wonderful  magazine 
of  spiritual  knowledge.  I  hope  that  every 
member  of  the  Church  will  receive  it  in 
due  time. 

CD.  Brady 

Pearl  River,  Louisiana 


"Beginnings  of  an  Artist" 

The  February  cover  story  about  artist 
Dennis  Smith  is  undoubtedly  the  most 
touching  article  I  have  read  in  years. 
The  Era  did  a  marvelous  job  of  captur- 
ing the  subtle  yet  poignant  thoughts  and 
visual  expressions  inherent  to  an  artist. 
As  a  drama  student,  I  feel  strongly  that 
as  Mormons  we  have  a  great  responsi- 
bility to  answer  "the  significant  ques- 
tions" that  are  ever-present  in  the  world 
today.  I  express  the  hope  of  many  other 
Mormon  artists  and  artists-to-be  when  I 
thank  the  Era  for  its  artistic  appeal  and 
when  I  plead  for  a  deeper  coverage  of  the 
talents  which  have  been  a  part  of  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  in  every  age. 
Elder  B.  Carlos  Jeppson 
Colombia-Venezuela   Mission 


"The  Church   in  Germanic  Lands" 

It  was  with  great  interest  that  I  read  the 
article  on  the  growth  of  the  Church  in 
Germanic  Europe.  Two  years  ago  I  re- 
turned from  a  mission  to  Germany.  While 
there  I  had  the  privilege  of  serving  as 
president  of  the  Duesseldorf  Branch  in 
the  Central  German  Mission.  During  that 
time  the  chapel  was  completed  and  dedi- 
cated. The  caption  by  the  picture  of  the 
Duesseldorf  chapel  erroneously  indicates 
that  Duesseldorf  is  in  the  South  German 
Mission. 

Paul  Anthon  Nielson 
Provo,  Utah 

In  my  estimation,  the  paragraph  on  Hel- 
muth  Huebner  in  the  article  "The  Church 
in  the  Germanic  Lands"  [March]  had 
nothing  to  do  with  the  article  mentioned. 
That  which  Brother  Huebner  and  his 
three  friends  did,  needless  to  say,  was 
very  commendable,  but  it  was  not  in- 
spired by  the  Church.  As  I  recall,  the 
Church,  represented  by  the  missionaries 
and  the  mission  presidents,  which  are  the 
voices  of  the  First  Presidency,  has  taught 
us  to  be  subject  to  the  laws  of  the  land. 
If  you  try  to  make  a  hero  out  of  Helmuth 
Huebner,  how  do  you  classify  those  who 
did  follow  the  laws  of  the  land?  Are  they 
cowards?  What  would  you  call  them? 

I  was  district  president  in  Hamburg 
at  that  time,  and  those  three  boys  were 
members  of  the  Hamburg  District.  A 
few  days  after  these  boys  were  arrested, 
I  was  arrested  and  interrogated  by  the 
Gestapo  for  four  consecutive  days  con- 
cerning this  matter.  These  three  boys 
used  my  office  to  listen  to  the  London 
broadcast,  and  they  used  my  typewriter 


How  Long  Is  Forever? 
By  Leah  Leonard 


A  mother's  pride  toas  walking  by 

The  building,  in  which  the  moth- 
er stood; 

In  joy  she  watched  his  easy 
stride 

And  knew  his  gentleness,  his 
good. 


And,  to  her  own  confusion,  she 
tapped, 

Unthinkingly,  upon  the  pane. 

The  ivhole  room  stilled  and 
turned  to  see, 

Then  smiled  quite  understand- 
ing^; 

Mother  was  past  three  score  and 
ten. 

The  son  was  fifty,  he  must  have 

been. 
Is  fifty  years  too  long,  they  say, 
To  thrill  a  mother's  heart  this 

way? 


Improvement  Era 


to  type  the  handbills  they  distributed.  I 
was  arrested  because  the  Gestapo  thought 
that  I  was  the  instigator  of  the  plot.  I 
was  told,  after  they  found  me  not  guilty, 
that  if  a  trace  of  guilt  had  been  shown 
on  my  part,  they  would  have  executed 
me  on  the  spot. 

I  have  always  been  anti-Hitler,  and  if 
I  had  known  what  the  boys  were  doing,  I 
would  have  given  them  a  helping  hand; 
but  through  the  wisdom  of  my  Heavenly 
Father  I  knew  nothing  of  their  action, 
and  therefore  my  life  was  saved. 

Otto  H.  W.  Bernut 
Salt  Lake  City 


"Harvard  Studies  of  Smoking" 

I  read  the  article  "The  Harvard  Studies 
of  Smoking"  [November]  with  interest. 
However,  it  appears  that  there  is  a  rather 
serious  error  in  the  interpretation  by  Pe- 
ters and  Ferris,  or  the  author  may  have 
simply  repeated  what  he  found  in  their 
report.  It  is  claimed  that  "nonsmokers  as 
a  group  outperform  smokers  in  academic 
achievement."  The  finding  cited  to  sup- 
port this  conclusion  is:  "of  532  Harvard 
seniors  graduating  summa  and  magna 
cum  laude  (highest  and  high  honors), 
324  (66.7  percent )  "were  nonsmokers." 
(Presumably,  the  number  532  is  an  ac- 
cumulation for  the  years  1964  and  1965. ) 
But  a  statistic  such  as  this  is  meaning- 
less except  as  a  descriptive  fact.  No  con- 
clusion such  as  that  made  above  can  be 
drawn  from  this  one  piece  of  data.  But, 
fortunately,  the  additional  information 
that  is  relevant  to  the  point  is  supplied 
further  in  the  article.  There  it  is  stated 
that  "of  1059  Harvard  college  graduates 
in  1964,  822  (77.5  percent)  were  non- 
smokers.  In  the  class  of  1965,  796  of 
1089  (73  percent)  were  nonsmokers." 
This  information,  instead  of  supporting 
Dr.  G.  Homer  Durham's— and  apparently 
Peters's  and  Ferris's— conclusion,  tends  to 
refute  it.  That  is,  if  73  to  77.5  percent  of 
all  the  graduating  seniors  were  nonsmok- 
ers, then  it  is  clear  that  smokers  were 
better  represented  in  the  honors  group 
than  nonsmokers!  But  I  trust  no  one  will 
want  to  argue  from  this  that  smoking 
gives  one  a  ten  percent  better  chance  for 
honors.  This  would  be  as  fallacious  as 
the  conclusion  reached  in  the  article. 

It  is  extremely  naive  to  look  for  rela- 
tions between  smoking  habits  and  aca- 
demic achievement  in  college  without 
considering  other  important  variables, 
most  obviously  those  of  intelligence  and 
motivation.  If  there  is  a  positive  correla- 
tion between  intelligence-motivation  and 
the  winning  of  honors  at  Harvard,  a  not 
unreasonable  supposition,  then  it  may  be 
that  the  Peters-Ferris  data,  as  reported 
by  Dr.  Durham,  suggest  that  there  is  a 
positive  correlation  between  intelligence- 
motivation  and  smoking  in  that  college. 
I  would  not  assert  this  without  valid  evi- 
dence, but  the  fact  that  it  was  apparently 
not  even  considered  casts  considerable 
doubt  on  the  quality  of  the  research  re- 
ported. The  type  of  fallacy  apparently 
committed  is  not  unknown  in  research 
studies. 

Gale  W.  Bose 

New  York   University 

New  York,  N.Y. 


"Comforting  as  Words  From  Home" 

I'm  a  United  States  Marine,  away  from 
home  and  confronted  with  the  world, 
such  as  it  is  today. 

I  understand  that  one  of  the  new  pro- 
grams of  the  Church  is  to  send  the  ser- 
vicemen the  Era.  I'm  taking  time  this 
morning  to  thank  you  for  the  magazine. 
It's  like  a  breath  of  air,  a  breath  of  spir- 
ituality to  my  spirit.  As  comforting  as 
words  from  home  and  as  sweet  as  Mom's 
smile.  I  never  thought  of  the  Era  like 
that  before. 

I  never  thought  of  a  lot  of  things  like 
I  do  now! 

I  want  you  to  know  that  you  are  doing 


a  good  work.  Sometimes  all  a  person  can 
do  is  hang  onto  his  testimony  by  sheer 
stubbornness,  and  when  the  tempter  uses 
his  tools  of  discouragement  and  loneli- 
ness, it's  something  like  drowning.  When 
I  received  the  Era  from  you,  it  was  like 
a  letter  from  Heavenly  Father. 

Spiritual  courage  needs  a  shot  in  the 
arm  every  now  and  then,  I  guess.  To 
think  that  the  Lord  cares  enough  to  give 
us  this  great  Church  and  that  you  folks 
care  enough  about  me  to  send  this  Era 
gives  me  all  the  strength  I  have,  and  the 
words  you  sent  me  help  me  call  upon 
that  spiritual  energy. 

LCPL  Russ  Payzant 
Jacksonville,  Florida 


The  Spoken  Word 

Richard  L.  Evans 


// 


that  is  all  there  is  to  you 


There  is  a  line  from  Emerson  which  somewhat  summarizes  life's 
purpose  in  one  short  sentence:  "Make  the  most  of  yourself,"  he 
said,  "for  that  is  all  there  is  to  you."  Each  man  is  always  and 
forever  inseparably  himself.  Each  one  of  us  is  always  with  himself.  We 
are  constantly  in  our  own  company.  We  are  a  combination  of  mind,  of 
spirit,  of  physical  faculties,  which  we  use,  or  fail  to  use,  in  one  way  or 
another.  Either  we  learn— or  we  don't  know;  either  we  practice— or  we 
don't  improve.  Either  we  commit  ourselves  to  the  virtues  and  the  whole- 
some opportunities  of  life— or  we  slip  to  something  less  than  we  could 
have  become.  We  build  the  record  of  what  we  are;  we  build  the  very 
substance  of  ourselves  by  the  choices  and  decisions  of  every  hour,  of 
each  instant.  We  can  become  much  more,  or  we  can  become  much  less, 
but  we  never  get  away  from  ourselves.  Sometimes  young  people  drift 
along  in  life,  in  school,  in  work,  or  in  not  much  of  anything  at  all, 
thinking  they  don't  need  to  put  out  much  effort— just  getting  by,  just 
loafing  along,  doing  as  little  as  possible.  While  this  may  be  disappointing 
to  others,  ultimately  it  is  damaging  principally  to  one  person— to  him 
who  doesn't  learn  and  work  and  produce  and  prepare  himself.  As 
Emerson  said  it,  ultimately  and  actually:  "It  is  impossible  for  a  man  to 
be  cheated  by  anyone  but  himself."1  Who  would  be  so  shortsighted  as 
to  be  indifferent  to  the  opportunity  to  learn— so  shortsighted  as  to  take 
the  low  road,  to  choose  to  break  the  law— so  shortsighted  as  to  produce, 
or  promote,  or  partake  of  things  that  would  lower  the  morals,  or  injure 
the  body  or  mind  or  spirit  of  any  man.  Life  is  forever,  and  the  pursuit 
must  forever  be  for  excellence:  learning,  developing,  making  ourselves 
more  serviceable,  living  so  as  to  have  a  clear,  quiet  conscience,  in 
cleanliness,  in  honor,  in  health,  in  happiness— becoming  the  best  we 
can  become,  with  reverence  and  respect.  "Make  the  most  of  yourself, 
for  that  is  all  there  is  to  you."1  To  do  less  would  be  foolishly,  stupidly 
shortsighted. 

'Ralph  Waldo  Emerson,  "Compensation." 

*"The  Spoken  Word"  from  Temple  Square, 
presented  over  KSL  and  the  Columbia  Broadcasting  System  February  2,  1969.  Copyright 
1969. 


May   1969 


101 


Live  It  Up. . .  Trade  Up  to  A  CAREFREE  ELECTRIC  RANGE 

Mrs.  Allen  is  Cleaning 
Her  Electric  Oven 


Or  rather,  Mrs.  Allen's  electric  oven  is  cleaning  itself. 

That's  one  of  the  nice  things  about  a  flameless  electric  range.  It  can  clean 

up  after  itself.  So  you're  off  the  scrub  team. 

An  electric  range  not  only  keeps  itself  clean,  but  it  keeps  the  rest  of  your 

kitchen  clean,  too.  Electricity  is  a  force,  not  a  fuel. 

See  your  electric  dealer  now. 

NOW. .  .$25.00  FREE 

The  power  company  will  present  you  a  $25  cash  gift  when  you  purchase  a  new 

electric  range,  provided  the  range  is  installed  in  a  residence  served  directly  by 

Utah  Power  &  Light  Co.  or  The  Western  Colorado  Power  Company. 

The  range  must  be  purchased  before  May  31,  1969. 

This  is  the  power  company's  way  of  encouraging  you  to  see  how  wonderfully 

carefree  a  flameless  electric  range  in  your  home  can  be. 

Because  It's  electric,  it's  better  UTAH  POWER  &  LIGHT  CO. 


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& 


102 


The  Church 
Moves  On 


March  1969 


New  stake  presidencies:  President 
Bart  Wolthius  and  counselors  Byron  T. 
Moore  and  Boyd  A.  Read,  Lorin  Farr 
(Utah)  Stake;  President  Lynn  R.  Wilson 
and  counselors  William  D.  Haslam  and 
George  D.  Wakefield,  Highland  (Salt 
Lake  City)  Stake;  President  Sterling 
Nicolaysen  and  counselors  Thomas  H. 
Green  and  Paul  T.  Jeppson,  Fremont 
(California)  Stake. 


t!l  The  appointments  of  Stephen  R. 
Covey  and  Ruel  A.  Allred  as  assistants 
to  Rex  A.  Skidmore  of  the  teacher 
training  committee  were  announced. 
The  committee  will  work  under  the  di- 
rection of  the  Correlation  Committee  of 
the  Church. 

The  First  Presidency  announced  the 
appointment  of  Leavitt  Christensen, 
currently  serving  as  bishop  of  Olympus 
(Washington)  Second  Ward,  as  presi- 
dent of  the  Italian  Mission. 


New  stake  presidencies:  President 
Robert  W.  Hubbard  and  counselors 
Dewsnup  Redford  and  Willis  R.  Burton, 
Idaho  Stake;  President  Wayne  A.  Mineer 
and  counselors  Mack  I.  Parcel!  and 
David  J.  Stone,  West  Sharon  (Utah) 
Stake. 

liSJ  Eighty  teams — champions  all — rep- 
resenting the  world's  largest  basketball 


Improvement  Era 


league  began  tournament  play  this 
morning  for  all-Church  honors.  In  all, 
32  Ensign,  32  M  Men,  and  16  col- 
lege division  teams  will  play  in  this 
year's  M  Men  classic.  Participants  at- 
tended a  devotional  last  night  in  the 
Salt  Lake  Tabernacle,  where  Elder  Mar- 
ion D.  Hanks,  Assistant  to  the  Twelve 
and  one-time  player  in  the  all-Church 
tournament,  was  the  speaker. 


A  resolution  commending  the 
YWMIA  was  in  the  hands  of  the  Utah 
Secretary  of  State  today  for  engrossing. 
It  had  been  passed  by  the  House 
March  11  and  by  the  Senate  March  12. 


Baldwin  Park  (California)  won  the 
all-Church  basketball  tournament  by 
defeating  Clearfield  (Utah)  Second  77- 
67.  Holladay  (Utah)  Third  placed  third 
with  a  74-44  victory  over  Portland 
(Oregon)  Eighth,  and  Dillon  (Montana) 
won  consolation  honors  from  American 
Fork  (Utah)   12th,  58-54. 

Cincinnati  (Ohio)  First  won  the  all- 
Church  Ensign  division  basketball  tour- 
nament by  defeating  Westminster 
(California)  55-52;  Bountiful  Eighth 
placed  third  with  a  58-56  over  fellow 
Utahns  Holladay  24th;  Oak  Hills  (Provo, 
Utah)  won  consolation  from  Silver 
Springs   (Maryland)  53-47. 

Brigham  Young  University  15th  won 


the  college  wards  all-Church  tourna- 
ment from  fellow  campus  ward  BYU 
Eighth,  69-60;  University  of  Utah  Sixth 
placed  third,  taking  the  80-51  game 
from  Utah  State  University  12th. 


The  appointments  of  Reta  Davis 
Baldwin  and  Marie  R.  Anderson  to  the 
general  board  of  the  Primary  Associa- 
tion were  announced. 


The  appointment  of  J.  Richard 
Ross  to  the  general  board  of  the  Young 
Men's  Mutual  Improvement  Association 
was  announced. 


This  is  the  127th  anniversary  of 
the  founding  of  the  Relief  Society, 
oldest  auxiliary  organization  of  the 
Church.  Ward  and  branch  Relief  Socie- 
ties held  parties  as  they  met  this  week. 


The  Spoken  Word 

Richard  L.  Evans 


The  humor  that  hurts 


A: 


Postnatal  Prayer 
By  Evalyn  M.  Sandberg 

The  miracle  of  life  is  placed 

again  within  my  arms: 
the  tiny  fists,  the  pink  toes, 

this  face  with  all  its  charms — 
a  miniature  expressing 

our  family  pedigree — 
are  mine  to  ponder  and  adore. 

Again  the  Lord  trusts  me 
with  one  of  his  choice  spirits. 

Again  I  humbly  pray 
that  I  may  always  show  this  child 

the  love  I  feel  today. 


sense  of  humor  would  seem  to  be  one  of  life's  essentials— that 
is,  a  wholesome  sense  of  humor.  But  there  is  a  humor  that  heals, 
a  humor  that  helps,  and  a  humor  that  harms  and  hurts.  And 
one  kind  of  humor  that  hurts  is  the  humor  that  brings  embarrassing 
attention  to  adverse  personal  attributes  and  physical  features;  the  humor, 
for  example,  that  ridicules  what  people  can't  help:  the  "baldy,"  "fatty," 
"skinny,"  "stand-up-shorty"  kind  of  humor  that  is,  at  best,  unkind, 
and  is,  at  worst,  cruel  and  crude  and  cutting.  The  person  who  is  subject 
to  such  humor  half-heartedly  or  helplessly  laughs,  and  others  may 
also,  but  with  embarrassment.  And  despite  all  laughter  and  supposed 
amusement,  hurts  run  deep  in  the  human  heart,  and  the  person  sub- 
jected to  such  humor,  whether  he  laughs  or  not,  is  often  deeply 
wounded  and  pitifully  defenseless.  Sometimes  it  almost  seems,  as 
William  Hazlitt  said:  "We  grow  tired  of  everything  but  turning  others 
into  ridicule,  and  congratulating  ourselves  on  their  defects."1  "The 
spirit,  Sir,  is  one  of  mockery,"2  said  Robert  Louis  Stevenson.  Such  "a 
joke,"  said  Thomas  Fuller,  "never  gains  over  an  enemy,  but  often  loses 
a  friend."3  There  are  some  kinds  of  humor  for  which  everyone  pays 
too  high  a  price,  including  the  humor  that  violates  human  dignity— 
the  humor  that  ridicules  and  hurts  and  embarrasses  and  embitters, 
publicly  or  privately.  From  Lord  Byron  and  Edward  Young  we  recall 
these  couplets: 

"And  that  sarcastic  levity  of  tongue, 
The  stinging  of  a  heart  the  world  hath  stung."4 
"Who,  for  the  poor  renown  of  being  smart, 
Would  leave  a  sting  within  a  brother's  heart?"5 


William  Hazlitt,  "The  Plain  Speaker." 
2Robert  Louis  Stevenson,  "The  Suicide  Club.' 
3Thomas  Fuller,  "Gnomologia,"  No.  228. 
4Lord  Byron,  "Lara,"  Canto  i,  stanza  5. 
5Edward  Young,  "Love  of  Fame." 


*  "The  Spoken  Word"  from  Temple  Square,  pre- 
sented over  KSL  and  the  Columbia  Broadcasting  System  March  9,  1969.    Copyright  1969. 


May   1969 


103 


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No.  12CC  KIMBALL  BLOCK,  S.  L.  ClTt,  l 


W 


All  kinda  of  Hair  Fori  neatly  cseouiod. 

Combines  made  Into  all  kinda  of  Ladies, 
Ba'r  Work.  JLAdlea*  Hair  dressed;  Wavea 
oleaosca  and  dressed  In  eastern  Btyle. 

Wo  havo  just  received  ib.9  latest  style  ot 
Curia  and  Front  Pieces.  ' 

Kalr  Jewelry  and  Memorials  In  devie© 
work,  a  specialty. 

Human  Hair  bought  and  sold. 
'    t£jr*  Wo  also  teach  Chenelle  Work,  Ken- 
elugrton  and  Dccaloomania  and  Oil  Cameo. 
d  183 


IST  OTIOE. 

ALL  PERSONS  OWNING  PROPERTY 
Within  Salt  Lake  County,  Utah  Terri- 
tory, subject  to  Territorial,  School  and  Coun- 
ty Taxes,  are  hereby  notified  that  the  County 
Court  of  Salt  Lake,  as  a  Uoar.1  of  Equalta- 
tlon  will  meet  at  tho  County  Conrt  Houso  In 
Salt  Lako  City,  from  Friday  tho  gist  day  of 


» 


vl 


Jjj. 


50  F 


The  PioneerWoman's 
Crowning  Glory 


By  Albert  L  Zobell,  Jr. 

Research  Editor 


104 


•  In  popular  conception,  the  pio- 
neer woman  had  long  and  luxuriant 
hair — her  crowning  glory.  But  was 
this  really  so? 

In  the  different  and  difficult  way 
of  life  that  was  the  lot  of  the  pio- 
neers, many  girls  married  in  their 
teens.  After  marriage,  their  hair 
was  often  combed  straight  back 
from  their  foreheads  and  twisted 
into  a  knot  or  bun  at  the  nape  of 
the  neck. 

Ladies  with  the  wagon  train  had 
little  time  for  personal  grooming, 
and  cleanliness  was  a  factor  to  be 
considered.  A  librarian  at  the  So- 
ciety of  California  Pioneers  says 
that  when  a  woman's  hair  was  cut 
short,  as  it  was  sometimes  done 


on  the  trails  coming  west,  the  re- 
sulting hair  style  was  one  of  ring- 
lets covering  the  head.  As  the  hair 
grew,  and  the  western  destination 
was  reached,  longer  curls  were 
achieved  and  kept  in  place  by  a 
velvet  snood.  Later  there  was  time 
enough  to  catch  up  on  the  latest 
fashion  in  that  community  and 
make  the  current  styles  their  own. 

What  of  the  Mormon  women? 
Did  they  have  long  or  short  hair 
styles? 

Heart  Throbs  of  the  West, 
compiled  by  Kate  B.  Carter  and 
published  by  the  Daughters  of 
Utah  Pioneers,  contains  word-pic- 
tures of  what  was  happening  in 
Utah: 


Improvement  Era 


X 


"Hair  was  coiled  low  with  a 
center  parting.  By  1859,  it  was 
dressed  high,  and  wound  in  heavy 
braids  on  top  of  the  head  like  a 
coronet."  (Vol.  8,  p.  4.) 

Of  course,  hair  styles  were  dic- 
tated by  what  the  individual  woman 
had  by  way  of  natural  adornment. 
Combings  were  saved  to  be  made 
into  hair  switches.  Fancy  combs 
and  pins  were  the  pride  of  a  life- 
time. Women  knitted  or  crocheted 
their  own  nets  of  silk  or  of  cotton. 
Some  of  the  more  daring  girls 
would  have  bangs. 

Elizabeth  Edwards  Hanks  wrote 
about  her  wedding  at  Paragonah  in 
1865  when  she  was  16.  An  Indian 
woman,  whose'  home  was  in  the 


neighborhood,  waved  and  braided 
the  bride's  long  black  hair:  "For 
my  wedding  she  placed  a  comb  up- 
right in  front  of  my  hair  like  a 
crown.  This  was  black,  with  little 
golden  prongs  in  it,  and  matched 
earrings  with  little  sets  of  gold  in 
the  center  that  an  old  friend  had 
made  for  me.  I  also  had  a  little 
comb  in  the  bob.  I  had  a  black 
shawl,  with  little  beads  of  gold  on 
the  corners,  and  this  I  wore  over 
the  combs."  (Ibid.,  p.  41,  sub- 
mitted by  llene  Hanks  Kingsbury.) 

The  subject  of  hair  styles  did  not 
escape  the  pulpit.  Records  of  ser- 
mons would  indicate  that  shorter 
hair  was  being  tried  by  some.  The 
dates  of  the  sermons  make  the 
days  of  the  emigrant  wagon  trains 
things  of  the  past,  but  the  problem 
persisted  with  the  younger  genera- 
tion. Addressing  the  Sunday 
School  children  in  the  new  Taber- 
nacle in  Salt  Lake  City,  July  24, 
1877,  President  Brigham  Young 
said: 

"Ask  your  mothers,  then,  to 
make  your  clothes  suitable  and  be- 
coming; and  keep  your  hair  smooth 
and  nice.  The  hair  is  given  to  the 
female  for  adornment;  and  there- 
fore let  the  ladies,  young  and  old, 
adorn  their  heads  with  their  hair." 
(Journal  of  Discourses,  Vol.  19, 
p.  65.) 

About  two  years  before,  speak- 
ing in  the  old  tabernacle  on  Temple 
Square  on  August  31,  1875,  he 
said: 

"When  I  look  at  a  woman,  I 
look  at  her  face,  which  is  com- 
posed of  her  forehead,  cheeks, 
nose,  mouth  and  chin,  and  I  like 
to  see  it  clean,  her  hair  combed 
neat  and  nice,  and  her  eyes 
bright  and  sparkling;  and  if  they 
are  so,  what  do  I  care  what  she 
has  on  her  head,  or  how  or  of 
what  material  her  dress  is  made? 
Not  the  least  in4he  world. 

".  .  .  Beauty  must  be  sought  in 
the  expression  of  the  countenance, 


May   1969 


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105 


1.  THE  VOICE  OF  A  PROPHET 

Here  are  four  selected  discourses  of  the  latter-day 
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•  PZI^f        BOOKCRAFT                  569     • 

■k_^^     1186  South  Main 

i  ,  ^    Salt  Lake  City,  Utah  84101       '. 

jase  send  the  following,  for  which  1  enclose  check   ■ 
money  order  in  the  amount  of  $ ; 

12            3                    : 

\      NAME                                                                                          '. 

1     ADDRESS                                                                                      ; 

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;    STATE                                              zip                     ; 

•     Residents  of  Utah  add  Vn%  sales  tax.                                             ' 

combined  with  neatness  and 
cleanliness  and  graceful  man- 
ners." (JD,  Vol.   18,   pp.  74-75.) 

Elder  Wilford  Woodruff,  in 
speaking  at  general  conference 
October  8,  1875,  said: 

".  .  .  how  is  it  with  regard  to  the 
head  dress  of  the  ladies?  The 
Lord  has  given  to  women  generally 
a  fine  head  of  hair,  which,  we  are 
told  in  the  Scriptures*  is  the  glory 
of  the  woman;  and  she  should  let 
the  hair  given  unto  her  adorn  her 
head  without  adding  any  foreign 
substance,  as  is  now  done,  in  order 
to  imitate  and  follow  after  the 
fashions  of  the  world."  (JD,  Vol. 
18,  p.  129.) 

From  an  April  1873  general 
conference  address  of  President 
Young:  ".  ,  .  girls,  learn  to  comb 
your  hair  in  the  morning,  and  fix 
your  head  dress.  'Well,  but,  pa 
won't  buy  me  a  chignon.'  Well, 
then,  fix  your  own  hair,  that  is  all 
you  ought  to  have.  Wash  your  face 
nice  and  clean,  and  your  neck,  and 
comb  your  hair  neat  and  nice;  put 
on  your  dress  comely.  ...  I  do  not 
mean  protruding  out  behind  like  a 
two-bushel  basket.  ...  Do  not 
dress  after  the  fashions  of  Baby- 
lon, but  after  the  fashions  of  the 
Saints.  Suppose  that  a  female 
angel  were  to  come  into  your  house 
and  you  had  the  privilege  of  see- 
ing her,  how  would  she  be  dressed? 
Do  you  think  she  would  have  a 
great,  big  peck  measure  of  flax 
done  up  like  hair  on  the  back  of 
her  head?  Nothing  of  the  kind.  ..." 
(JD,  Vol.  16,  p.  21.) 


106 


*Paul  praised  women  for  long  hair  (1 
Cor.  11:15),  but  joined  Peter  in  disliking 
"broided"  and  "plaiting"  hair.  (1  Tim.  2:9; 
1  Pet.  3:3.  The  Revised  Version  uses 
"braided"  and  "braiding,"  as  does  the  New 
American  Catholic  Edition.  The  Inspired 
Version  of  Joseph  Smith  changes  Paul's 
comment  to  "braided.")  At  first  glance, 
Isaiah's  condemnation  of  "crisping  pins" 
(Isa.  3:22)  may  be  curling  irons,  but  schol- 
ars generally  say  they  are  "pockets"  or 
"bags."  However,  the  "crisping-pins"  are 
with  the  many  precious  parts  of  Isaiah  that 
have  been  repeated  in  the  Book  of  Mormon. 
(2  Ne.  13:22.) 


Pioneer  barber  John  Squires 
had  his  shop  on  the  present  south- 
west corner  of  State  and  South 
Temple  streets.  There  in  the  home- 
made chair  the  pioneers  had  their 
beards  trimmed  and  their  hair  cut 
straight  across  the  neck,  as  was 
the  style.  Stately  and  dignified 
Brigham  Young,  restless  and  witty 
Heber  C.  Kimball,  and  the  others 
patronized  the  shop.  Famed  actors, 
playing  at  the  Salt  Lake  Theatre 
down  the  street,  were  regular 
customers  during  their  brief  stay 
in  the  city. 

Massive,  powerful  George  A. 
Smith  often  stopped  by,  concerned 
about  his  thinning  hair.  There  he 
would  sometimes  see  his  niece, 
ample-tressed  Julina  Lambson, 
who  was  apprenticed  to  Barber 
Squires  in  the  art  of  "hair-weav- 
ing." When  the  crisis  came  for 
Elder  Smith,  there  was  also  a  solu- 
tion. Enough  light  brown  hair  was 
taken  from  Juliana's  head  to  make 
him  a  wig.  Susa  Young  Gates,  who 
wrote  about  this,  asked:  "Who  does 
not  recall  his  calm  removal  of  that 
same  wig  in  the  midst  of  a  sermon 
on  a  hot  day,  while  he  mopped 
his  shining  dome  and  returned  the 
wig  with  placid  unconcern?"  You 
can  almost  hear  her  chuckle  as 
she  adds:  "Imagine  the  consterna- 
tion of  the  Indians  who  first  be- 
held this  .  .  .  accomplishment?" 

As  almost  an  afterthought,  Mrs. 
Gates,  historian-daughter  of  Brig- 
ham  Young,  adds:  "Ladies  did  not 
disdain  to  enter  the  broad,  green, 
wooden  door  and  have  their  hair 
shampooed  or  cut  in  the  fashion 
that  once  obtained  of  short-haired 
curls  for  all  but  mature  pioneer 
women." 

A  popular  conception  gives  the 
pioneer  woman  long  and  luxuriant 
locks — truly  a  crowning  glory. 
Actually,  there  appear  to  have  been 
about  as  many  hair  styles  as  there 
were  feminine  personalities.         ° 


Improvement  Era 


These  Times 


•  According  to  the  restless  stu- 
dents, the  current  unrest  repre- 
sents loss  of  faith  in  the  ruling 
generation^  According  to  the  rul- 
ing generation,  student  unrest  is 
inspired  and  developed  by  various 
conspiracies  of  evil.  It  evinces  lack 
of  stamina,  lack  of  character,  lack 
of  integrity,  and  lack  of  all  the 
virtues  proudly  exhibited  (or  as- 
sumed) and  "exemplified"  (with 
due  modesty)  in  the  elder  gen- 
eration. 

On  campus,  the  persons  directly 
affected  by  threats  or  disruption 
are  perplexed  but  confident  in  the 


By  Dr.  G.  Homer  Durham 

President,  Arizona  State  University  at  Tempe 

strength  of  their  institutions  to 
weather  the  storms.  Off  campus, 
many  sturdy  citizens  are  convinced 
the  faculties  are  negligent  of  re- 
sponsibility, using  academic  free- 
dom to  incite  campus  and  social 
breakdown,  instead  of  exerting 
academic  responsibility  to  main- 
tain peace  and  good  order  in  the 
house  of  learning. 

On  campus,  considering  the 
overwhelming  majority  of  institu- 
tions, most  of  the  students,  fac- 
ulty, and  staff  are  quite  unaware 
of  violence  and  disruption.  Off 
campus,    most    people    are    con- 


vinced that  beards  and  bombs, 
unwashed  bodies  and  unkempt 
hair,  bare  feet  and  marijuana  are 
the  order  of  the  day,  that  the 
voices  of  learning  have  become  the 
screechings  and  gesticulations  of 
anarchists. 

On  campus,  the  chemistry  pro- 
fessor and  the  engineering  student 
evince  the  same  interest  in  a  sit- 
down  in  the  administration  build- 
ing by  the  sociology  students  that 
the  average  newspaper  reader 
evinces  in  the  weary,  daily  head- 
line, "Four  Killed  in  Crash  at  Blue- 
bell Junction."  Too  bad.  So,  on  to 


May   1969 


107 


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the  next  column  —  unless,  of 
course,  it  was  your  relative  or  close 
friend.  Bad  news  is  always  for  the 
other  fellow.  But  off  campus,  the 
recurring  television  news  (in  color) 
shows  wild-eyed  monsters  of  the 
campus,  flouting  the  law  (perhaps 
even  posing,  or  gesticulating  by 
advance  arrangement),  and  seem- 
ingly tearing  apart  the  treasured 
houses  of  the  ancient  learning. 

So  in  the  public  mind,  the  house 
of  learning  comes  to  be  viewed  as 
an  abhorrent  place  of  anger  and 
violence.  The  student  inhabitants 
appear  (on  television),  with  ghastly 
grins,  as  determined  wreckers  of 
civilization.  The  administrators  are 
consequently  assumed  to  be  su- 
pine weaklings,  and  the  faculty  as 
either  apathetic  or  aiding  and 
abetting  the  disturbance.  Fasci- 
nated students,  outside  the  areas 
of  televised  violence,  begin  to  won- 
der if  something  is  not  wrong  with 
themselves  and  their  own  peace- 
ful  campus.    The   idea   of  unrest 


therefore  propagates,  like  "butch" 
haircuts  in  the  late  forties  and 
whiskers  in  the  sixties. 

What  underlies  it  all?  Opinions 
will  vary  from  those  of  the  retired 
army  officer  who  would  "crack 
heads"  and  "boot"  the  disturbers 
off  the  campus  "so  fast  they 
wouldn't  know  what  hit  them,"  to 
the  devotees  of  original  sin,  the 
oedipus  complex,  or  something 
called  environmentalism. 

I  see  it  somewhat  in  the  follow- 
ing way: 

1.  Many  young  people  are  the 
inheritors  and  recipients  of  the 
best  knowledge  input  in  history. 
They  know  more  about  the  world 
at  their  age  than  any  past  genera- 
tion. They  do  not  like  much  of 
what  they  see.  This  comes  as  a 
revelation  of  consternation  to 
those  who  fought  the  past  wars 
and  labored  to  build  the  proud 
present.  Moreover,  this  new  gen- 
eration is  in  instantaneous  com- 
munication with  the  world,  as  seen 


108 


mprovemertt  Era 


through  the  mass  media.  Also, 
they  have  never  known  personal 
suffering,  deprivation,  or  discom- 
fort. Many  of  them  lack  and  have 
been  deprived  by  the  three  preced- 
ing generations  (or  part  of  those 
three  predecessors)  of  any  firm, 
substantial  religious  outlook  ca- 
pable of  harmonizing  facts  with 
faith.  But  they  have  inherited, 
along  with  the  civil  disobedience 
attending  prohibition  and  ration 
books,  enough  moral  and  spiritual 
concern  to  be  shocked  by  what 
they  see  in  the  world  they  have 
inherited  from  secular,  materialist, 
or  professedly  religious  parents, 
grandparents,  and  in  some  cases 
great-grandparents.  Some  have 
also  received  rather  substantial 
lessons  in  disregarding  law,  gov- 
ernment, and  authority.  Thus,  as 
in  Newtonian  physics,  "to  every 
action,  there  is  an  equal  and  op- 
posite reaction."  The  young  react 
always.  Today  some  are  reacting 
violently  and  without  any  parental 
restraint. 

To  what?  Why?  Let  us  take 
these  questions  in  order,  as  our 
second  and  third  considerations. 

2.  The  young,  as  I  listen  to 
them,  as  I  read  about  them,  and  as 
I  examine  the  social  evidence  in 
the  scientific  spirit  of  inquiry,  are 
reacting  to  war;  to  the  nature  of 
the  modern  state,  which  seems 
bent  on  focusing  all  its  industrial- 
scientific-educational  resources  on 
destructive  instruments;  to  the 
nature  of  society,  air  pollution, 
water  pollution;  to  racism;  to  man's 
inhumanity  to  man.  The  more  sen- 
sitive among  them,  whether  drug- 
stimulated  or  otherwise  aroused, 
declare  that  the  whole  world  scene 
is  obscene;  that  parents,  "the  es- 
tablishment" (including  the  uni- 
versities) are  hypocritical  or  have 
become  corrupted  by  the  agenda 
of  the  state;  and  that,  in  protest 
thereof,  they,  the  young,  "have 
dropped  out."  Hair  is  grown,  vest- 
ments are  adopted,  and  habits  are 


May  1969 


acquired  to  give  notice  of  their 
dropping. 

Today's  students  may  pick  up  a 
popular  textbook  and  read  a  quo- 
tation from  Pilgrim's  Progress 
(1678). 1  Or  he  may  come  across 
similar  emotional  passages  in  the 
original  by  John  Bunyan,  in  the 
scriptures,  or  in  other  literature: 

"As  I  walked  through  the  wilder- 
ness of  this  world  ...  I  saw  a  man 
clothed  with  rags,  standing  in  a 
certain  place,  with  his  face  from 
his  own  house,  a  book  in  his  hand, 
and  a  great  burden  on  his  back.  I 
looked,  and  saw  him  open  the 
book,  and  read  therein;  and,  as  he 
read,  he  broke  out  with  a  lament- 
able cry,  saying,  ...  I  am  for  cer- 
tain informed  that  this  our  city  will 
be  burned  with  fire  from  heaven; 
in  which,  fearful  of  overthrow,  both 
myself,  with  thee  my  wife,  and  you 
my  sweet  babes,  shall  miserably 
come  to  ruin,  except  (the  which 
yet  I  see  not)  some  way  of  escape 
can  be  found,  whereby  we  may 
be  delivered.  .  .  .  And  as  he  read, 
he  burst  out  crying:  'What  shall  I 
do  to  be  saved?'  " 

There  are  enough  sensitive 
young  people,  rich  with  fruitful 
physical  and  emotional  develop- 
ment, who,  reading  such  a  passage 
and  contemplating  their  world, 
rush  together,  boy  and  girl,  weep- 
ing, clutching  each  other  for  com- 
fort against  the  next  induction 
notice  or  news — in  color — from 
South  Vietnam.  Not  knowing  how 
to  seek  God  for  help  or  comfort, 
nor  having  been  so  taught,  nor 
ever  acquiring  the  habit  in  close- 
knit  family  circle,  some  youth  are 
subject  to  these  or  other  reactions. 
Some  of  their  elders  will  imme- 
diately respond,  "They're  softies, 
spineless,  weaklings.  If  they  had 
any  manhood  and  womanhood  (as 
I  had  in  1941,  or  his  grandfather 
in  1917),  they  would  welcome  the 
chance  to  rush  to  the  recruiting 


!See  F.  L.  Schuman,  International  Politics, 
7th  ed.,  1968,  p.  443. 


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110 


office  and  serve  their  country! 
It's  the  fault  of  John  Dewey  and  all 
those  good-for-nothing  permissive 
educators."  Or,  other  strongly 
voiced  opinions  can  be  heard,  any 
or  all  of  which  may  be  true. 

It  is  also  true,  I  believe,  that  the 
social  conscience  that  supported 
Herbert  Hoover  and  food  relief  in 
1918,  aid  for  European  and  world 
discovery  after  1946,  runs  equally 
strong  and  inwardly  in  the  new 
generation.  They  read  that  the 
USA  spends  $35,000,000  every 
day  in  "an  unsuccessful  effort  to 
subjugate  a  land  of  poor  peasants 
10,000  miles  away,"  and  that  the 
sums  appropriated  would  rebuild 
the  Negro  ghettos  of  all  American 
cities  and  would  have  been  suffi- 
cient to  give  every  human  being  in 
Vietnam  "a  state  of  affluence  un- 
known elsewhere  in  Asia."2  The 
younger  generation  may  not  have 
read  Isaiah.  But  a  few  of  them 
are  reacting  as  if  "the  earth  ...  is 
defiled  under  the  inhabitants 
thereof "  (Isa.  24:5.) 

So  there  is  some  reaction. 

Why?  And  why  does  it  take  the 
form  it  does  on  some  campuses? 

3.  The  young,  or  some  of  them, 
have  always  reacted.  The  genera- 
tion gap  seems  to  begin  with  the 
family  of  Adam.  In  Moses'  time 
the  Lord  saw  fit  to  remind  his 
children  to  "honour  thy  father 
and  thy  mother:  that  thy  days  may 
be  long  upon  the  land  which  the 
Lord  thy  God  giveth  thee."  (Exod. 
20:12.) 

Where  this  divine  injunction  has 
not  been  taught,  nor  clothed  in 
respect  for  its  divine  Giver,  the 
mantle  of  God-enjoined  respect 
does  not  cover  the  shoulders  of 
the  elder  generation.  Things  are 
difficult  enough  when  the  young 
believe  and  accept  the  command- 
ment. But  without  its  protective 
coverage,  their  elders'  mistakes 
are  open  to  wide-eyed  and  open- 

2/bid.,  p.  436. 


mouthed  criticism,  especially  on 
the  campus.  Human  emotions  re- 
spond to  external  stimuli. 

Why  does  reaction  occur?  There 
are  causes  and  issues  in  great 
abundance,  manifested  every  wak- 
ing hour,  shouted  from  the  moun- 
tains to  the  housetops  with  their 
antennas.  There  are  always  those 
who  are  ready  to  play  the  serpent 
or  lago,  or  to  open  Pandora's  box. 
There  are  national  and  interna- 
tional societies  with  contrary  and 
sinister  purposes.  There  are  cur- 
rent well-known  organizations  in- 
tent on  destroying  the  universities 
as  a  means  of  destroying  other 
free  institutions.  The  free  agency 
of  man  is  open  to  the  stimuli  of 
evil  as  well  as  the  challenge  to 
ascend  the  good  pathway.  Doc- 
trines of  anarchy,  nihilism,  social 
destruction,  and  economic  intrigue 
have  their  organized  adherents. 
The  campuses,  on  the  contrary, 
are  manned  by  people  who  are 
open,  optimistic  about  human  be- 
havior, trustful  of  their  fellowmen 
and  students,  not  suspicious,  but 
believers  in  rational  processes. 
Otherwise,  campuses  would  not  be 
inhabited  by  those  who  love  to 
teach,  to  investigate,  to  impart 
their  findings. 

The  campus  was  formerly  a 
place  of  high  privilege  for  the  few. 
Today  it  is  a  place  of  necessity  for 
the  many,  especially  for  racial  and 
ethnic  minorities.  Twelve  percent 
of  the  population  of  California, 
some  claim,  have  Mexican-Ameri- 
can surnames  or  similar  ethnic 
roots.  But  only  .04  percent  of  the 
students  at  Berkeley,  they  claim, 
represent  these  12  percent  of 
California's  population  on  the 
campus.  Accurate  or  inaccurate, 
the  statistics  pose  challenge  in  the 
day  when  a  college  education  is 
virtually  the  admission  ticket  to 
our  growing  professional  life. 

As  a  place  of  necessity,  the 
campus  population  is  approximat- 


Improvement  Era 


ing  in  nature  and  character  that 
of  the  society  itself.  But  the  cam- 
pus is  not  equipped  to  deal  with 
all  the  problems  of  society.  The 
campus  struggles,  with  its  re- 
sources of  limited  nature,  to 
deal  with  the  learning  processes. 
The  campus  assumes  rationality, 
peace,  respect,  good  order.  It  is 
not  prepared  for  shock,  especially 
in  America.  When  some  of  its 
places  have  been  subjected  to  the 
clever,  the  crude,  or  violent  tac- 
tics of  politics,  of  direct  political 
action,  the  initial  campus  reaction 
has  been  disbelief.  The  educated 
in  the  community,  those  who  knew 
the  older,  open  but  restricted  ac- 
cess campus,  have  been  dismayed. 
But  now  the  campus  is  rallying 
its  resources.  Any  who  attack  are 
now  in  for  dismay,  shock,  and 
surprise.  The  travail  of  higher 
education  in  opening  (or  failing  to 
open)  its  doors  to  wider  oppor- 
tunity is  an  uneasy  labor. 

How  shall  the  university  answer 
the  pilgrim's  question,  "What  shall 
I  do  to  be  saved?"  It  is  not  enough 
to  have  the  knowledge  of  the  arts 
and  sciences.  The  knowledge  has 
to  be  applied  with  wisdom,  with 
due  regard  to  the  wisdom  of  God 
as  well  as  man. 

I  believe  the  American  univer- 
sity has  the  knowledge  and  the 
wisdom  available  to  successfully 
surmount  the  current  challenge 
and  to  maintain  the  peace  and 
freedom  of  the  campus  for  sound 
learning.  But  I  also  believe  that 
the  alumni,  the  elders  of  the  com- 
munity, the  leaders  of  the  bodies 
politic,  social,  ecclesiastical,  and 
economic  will  also  have  to  keep 
their  houses  in  order  for  good  edu- 
cation to  flourish,  and  to  help 
the  educational  bodies  a'djust  to  the 
questing  sense  of  justice  and  the 
innate  moral  needs  of  society  on 
an  earth  which,  more  and  more, 
functions  as  a  great  Urim  and 
Thummim  in  these  times.  o 


May   1969 


Women  Are  Here  to  Stay 


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in 


End  of  an  Era 


Life 
Among 

the 
Mormons 


Before  my  grandson 
was  old  enough  to  be 
ordained  a  deacon,  his 
Primary  teacher  gave 
him  a  small  book  to 
read  to  help  him 
prepare  for  the 
priesthood.  After 
trying  to  persuade  him 
to  read  it,  I  finally 
decided,  as  a  special 
inducement,  to  tape 
a  coin  on  every  tenth 
page,  for  him  to  spend 
after  he  had  read  to 
each  of  those  pages. 
The  first  evening 
after  he  started 
reading  the  book,  he 
telephoned  and  told 
me  how  rapidly  he  was 
reading  it.  "That's 
fine, "  I  said,  "but 
are  you  getting 
anything  out  of  it?" 
"Oh,  yes,  "he  replied. 
"I've  got  30  cents 
out  already  !" 
-Annie  Maxf  ield, 
Kaysville,  Utah 


The  most  precious  possession  that 
ever  comes  to  a  man  in  this 
world  is  a  woman's  heart. 
—I.  G.  Holland 

Visitors  were  being  shown  around 
the  battleship  that  had  just 
arrived  in  port.  The  guide  paused 
before  a  bronze  plaque  on  the 
deck  and  with  bowed  head  said, 
"This  is  where  our  gallant 
captain  fell."  "Well,  no  wonder," 
said  one  nervous  lady.  "I  nearly 
tripped  over  the  thing  myself!" 

A  marriage  is  a  success  when 
they  live  happily  even  after. 

Honor  women!  They 
entwine  and  weave 
Heavenly  roses  in 
our  earthly  life. 

— Schiller 

"This  seal  coat  is  fine. 
But  will  it  stand  rain?" 
"Madam,  did  you  ever  see 
a  seal  with  an  umbrella  ?" 

Labor  of  Love 
Grandmother,  you  ironed 
the  shirt  so  well — 
//  you  have  a  tip, 
will  you  share  it? 
My  secret  is  very  simple  dear: 
I  love  the  man  who  will  wear  it. 

— Ora  Pate  Stewart 

These  women  who  are  sealed  to 
us  for  time  and  eternity  will, 
with  our  children,  be  ours  in 
the  other  life,  going  on  in 
honor  and  glory. 
— President  Lorenzo  Snow 


There  are  many  qualities  that  a 
woman  should  have  to  he  a  good 
wife  and  mother,  but  the  most 
important  is  patience:  patience 
with  children's  and  husbands9 
tempers,  patience  with  their 
misunderstandings,  with  their 
desires,  with  their  actions. 
— Emma  Rae  Riggs  McKay 

Except  a  living  man  there  is 
nothing  more  wonderful  than  a 
book:  a  message  to  us  from  .  .  . 
human  souls  we  never  saw.  .  .  . 
And  yet  these  arouse  us,  terrify  us, 
teach  us,  comfort  us,  open  their 
hearts  to  us  as  brothers. 
— Charles  Kingsley 

Prayer  is  the  very  soul  and 
essence  of  religion,  and  therefore 
prayer  must  be  the  very  core 
of  the  life  of  man,  for  no  man 
can  live  without  religion. 

Green  Harmonics 

I  need  no  stereo  device. 
Acoustics  that  astound  me 
Are  humming  insects,  rustling 

pines, 
And  lark  notes  all  around  me. 
— Edith  Ogutsch 

Love  sought  is  good,  but 

given  unsought,  is  better. 

— Shakespeare,  Twelfth  Night. 


"End  of  an  Era"  will  pay  i>3  for  humorous  anec- 
dotes and  experiences  that  relate  to  the  Latter- 
day  Saint  way  of  life.  Maximum  length  150  words. 


112 


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INTERSTATE 


COMPANY 


intrestado 


FLOOR  TILE 


The  floor  tile  of  yesterday,  to- 
day and  tomorrow,  Intrestado 
lives  up  to  its  promise  of  in- 
spired beauty  and  permanent 
dignity  .  .  .and  it's  virtually 
maintenance  free.  Particularly 
effective  used  in  foyers,  hall- 
ways, walks,  patios,  recreational 
halls,  Baptismal  Font  areas— 
anywhere  refinement  and  re- 
sistance to  wear  are  required. 
Comes  in  eight  dramatic  pat- 
terns, four  warm,  earthy  colors. 


3100  South  1 100  East  /  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah  84106 


SEETHE 

INTRESTADO  DEALER 

NEAREST  YOU 


ALABAMA 
Carpenter,  Inc. 
Montgomery,  Alabama 

Dallas  Ceramic  Company 
Birmingham,  Alabama 

ARIZONA 

Monarch  Tile  Mfg.  I  nc. 
Phoenix,  Arizona 

Monarch  Tile  Mfg.  I  nc. 
Tucson,  Arizona 


ARKANSAS 

Facings  of  Arkansas 
Little  Rock,  Arkansas 

F.G.WhittTileDist.Co. 
Little  Rock,  Arkansas 

CALIFORNIA 

C.  L.  Frost 
Monterey,  California 


Walker  &  Zanger 
Glendale,  California 

Dallas  CeramicCo. 
Sacramento,  California 

DelPisoTileCo. 

Anaheim,  California 

Dillon  Tile 

San  Francisco,  Calif. 

COLORADO 

Robinson  Brick  Si  Tile  Co. 

Denver,  Colorado 

FLORIDA 

Moyer  Tile  &  Marble 
Jacksonville,  Florida 

Stylon  of  Miami 

Miami,  Florida 

Watson  Distributors,  Inc. 
Winter  Park,  Florida 

Cambridge  Tile  Company 
Tallahassee,  Florida 

DrewTileSupply 
Tampa,  Florida 

Dallas  Ceramic  Company 
Tampa,  Florida 


GEORGIA 

Dallas  Ceramic  Co. 
Atlanta,  Georgia 

AtlanticTile  Supply 
Savannah,  Georgia 

IDAHO 

Chandler  Supply  Co. 
Boise,  Idaho 

Messenger  Brick  & 
Masonry  Supply 
Idaho  Falls,  Idaho 

KANSAS 
Self's 

Wichita,  Kansas 

KENTUCKY 

Louisville  Tile  Distributors 
Louisville,  Kentucky 

LOUISIANA 

Dallas  Ceramic  Company 
New  Orleans,  La. 

M&M  Tile  Sales 
Shreveport,  La. 

MARYLAND 

Mid-East  Ceramics 
Baltimore,  Maryland 


MISSISSIPPI 

H.  L.  Cooke  Dist.  Co. 
Jackson,  Miss. 

MISSOURI 

CeramicTile Services,  Inc. 
St.  Louis,  Missouri 

Paschal  Distributing  Co. 
Springfield,  Missouri 

NEWMEXICO 

Crest  Tile  Co. 
Albuquerque,  New  Mexico 

NEVADA 

Natural  Stone  & 
Masonry  Materials,  Inc. 
Carson  City,  Nevada 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

Dallas  Ceramic  Company 
Greensboro,  N.C. 

OKLAHOMA 

Plunkett  Co.  of  Oklahoma 
Oklahoma  City,  Oklahoma 

Plunkett  Co.  of  Oklahoma 
Tulsa,  Oklahoma 


SOUTH  CAROLINA 

TheTile  Center 
Columbia,  S.  C. 

Floorco,  Inc. 
Charlestons.  C. 

TENNESSEE 

F.G.Whitt&  Marble  Dist. 
Memphis,  Tennessee 

Dallas  Ceramic  Company 
Nashville,  Tennessee 

TEXAS 

Ashcraft  Tile  Company 
Tyler,  Texas 

EllerbeTileDist.,  Inc. 
El  Paso,  Tex  as 

Dallas  Ceramic  Co. 

Dallas,  Texas 

Dallas  Ceramic  Co. 
Houston,  Texas 

Master  Tile  Co. 
Houston,  Texas 

Monarch  Tile  Service 

Austin,  Texas 


Monarch  Tile  Sales  Co. 
San  Antonio,  Texas 

OlmosBuilding 

Materials  Co. 
San  Antonio,  Texas 

UnitedTile  Sales 
Houston,  Texas 

Bacon  Tile  Service,  Inc. 
San  Antonio,  Texas 

Nueces  Aztec  Tile  Service 
Corpus  Christi,  Texas 

Travis  Tile  Service 
Austin,  Texas 

UTAH 

Interstate  Brick  Company 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 

Caffall  Tile  &  Supply  Co. 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 

Elias  Morris  &  Sons  Co. 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 

K  C  Tile  Company 
Logan,  Utah 


VIRGINIA 

MorrisTile  Distributors 
Richmond,  Virginia 

Tile  Supply  Company 

FallsChurch,  Va. 


MorrisTile  Dist.  of  Norfolk 
Norfolk,  Virginia 

WASHINGTON 

Builders  Brick  Co. 
Seattle,  Washington 

WYOMING 

Powers  Builders  Supply 
Cheyenne,  Wyoming 

VIRGIN  ISLANDS 

St.  Croix  Trading  Co, 
Christiansted,St.  Croix 

Masonery  Products,  Inc. 

Christiansted,  St.  Croix 

PUERTO  RICO 

Commerical  Adolph  S.  Pagan,  Inc. 
San  Juan,  Puerto  Rico 

Sues.  De  A  May  ol  and  Co.,  Inc. 
San  Juan,  Puerto  Rico 


Second  Class  Postage  Paid 
at  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 


Start  him  Tight,  Dad.  To  him  you're  the  expert.  He'll  never  forget  how  you  taught  him  to 
catch  a  ball.  And  the  future  will  prove  the  wisdom  of  the  financial  start  you  gave  him  with  a  Beneficial 
plan.   It'll  be  there  when  he  needs  it  for  college,  or  a  mission.    T^Tj1l^~T,Tj1TriT  A  T     T  TTT^ 


Let  your  Beneficial  Life  consultant  recommend  a  plan  that  grows 
with  you  and  the  needs  of  your  family.  See  him  soon! 


Virgil  H.  Smith,  Pres. 


mmmmmm 


Salt  Lake  City,  Utah